100 artists from Pak, Egypt to participate in Int festival

Srinagar, Jun 17 (UNI) Almost 100 Artists from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Syria and different parts of India would take part in the three-day International Sofi Music and Dance festival starting here from June 19.

Spokesperson and Head of Press and Public Relations of State Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Dr Javaid Rahi said the festival, the first of its kind in the Valley, will be held in the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Complex (SKICC), on the banks of famed Dal Lake.

He said for the first time International famed Qawalls' from Pakistan, Amjad Khan Sabri and reputed group Ajoka Theatre are going to perform during the festival.

Dr Rahi added the performance of Internationally renowned groups of five countries of the world is a bid to encourage cultural exchanges between various nations and ethnicities of the globe.

He said since the state of Jammu and Kashmir has a long history of sufi traditions, therefore, the artists were keen to perform here and interact with people.

This, he said, will go a long way in flourishing our cultural traditions and woo the tourists from around the glob to witness this maiden event.

He said the festival was a joint venture of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, Shri Amarnathji Shirne Board and Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art Culture and Languages.

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