Last Saturday, September 21, Pakistan was the country invited to the Salt Festival, which is held every third Saturday in September, commemorating the third centenary of the Salt Shack and celebrating the fishing and salting origins of the people of I’Escala.
Niaz Hunzai (multi-faceted musician) and Humaira Javed (vocalist) captivated the audience with their performances at this year’s festival. The first plays with heart and his spirit resonates through the many instruments he plays; traditional like the Rabab, flute and sarangi, and modern like the guitar, which symbolize the colorful and rich cultural heritage of Pakistan. The representative of the UNESCO Ganish (Hunza) Whole, Mumtaz Hussain also participated in the event.
The Ambassador of Pakistan, Zahoor Ahmed, the Consul General in Barcelona, Murad Wazir, and the Trade Adviser, Ali Asghar, attended the festival. In his speech, the ambassador stressed that these artists come from Hunza, a centre of cultural purity and traditions at the foot of the great mountains of northern Pakistan. Zahoor Ahmed said that his country “is a proud owner of a vibrant variety of cultures, with the richness of diverse traditions and that through art and music we highlight the deep cultural and social link between Pakistan and Spain”. He also stressed that there is a huge Pakistani diaspora in Catalonia, which has adopted local rules creating a “beautiful mix of Pakistani-Spanish culture”.
