ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the kingdom of Thailand have reaffirmed their resolve to enhance cultural cooperation and museum exchange programme on the occasion of 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations of two countries.
It was agreed between the Federal Minister for Education, Professional Training and National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood and Thailand’s Minister of Culture Ittiphol Kunplom during an online meeting on Wednesday.
Shafqat said that Pakistan gives significant importance to cultural cooperation and exchange programmes with Thailand and soon bilateral agreements would be signed in this regard for the years 2021-2025.
Both sides agreed on enhancing their cultural ties through exhibitions, cultural and arts performances, dance, film, radio and TV programmes. People-to-people contacts and cultural troops exchange between the two countries also agreed upon.
Shafqat said that these joint projects will also provide an opportunity to meet the businessmen and business groups of both sides and hence promote the trade relations and tourism sectors of both countries. The chance to enhance the mutual collaboration between Thai National Museum Bangkok and Taxila Museum also came under discussion.
Shafqat also highlighted that Pakistani museums have a priceless collection of artefacts and Buddhist relics, ergo, the Thai people who visit Pakistan in this regard are very appreciated.
Both sides also discussed the impact of Covid-19 on cultural and art sector and field of education. They also exchanged the experiences in dealing with this crisis and the relief measures for supporting the art industries.
The federal minister extended the invitation of Pakistan’s visit to his Thai counterpart which the latter accepted with the remarks, he has heard a lot about Taxila museum and very keen to visit it in-person.
A day earlier, the Minister of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Beishenaliev had said that Kyrgyzstan will take benefit from the new National Single Curriculum (SNC) of Pakistan in the up-gradation process of its education system.
Beishenaliev and Shafqat had discussed in detail the issues of mutual interests and bilateral cooperation.
Pakistani students go to Kyrgyzstan for getting an education, while the Pakistani educationist were investing in the education sector of Kyrgyzstan, Shafqat had informed.
He had further said that the Kyrgyz students often came to Pakistan to get religious education in Madaris.
Shafqat had also briefed the Kyrgyz Education Minister about the steps being taken by the Education Ministry in vocational training, stating that for the first time the training was being given in two hundred high-end trades, including courses on robotics and artificial intelligence.
Kyrgyz education minister had lauded the efforts of his Pakistani counterpart for the uplift of the education sector and had expressed his hopes of enhancing further cooperation in the field of education.
