World Tourism Day
\n PESHAWAR
\nAs the world celebrated tourism day on Friday with enthusiasm, Pakistan emphasized its unique cultural, adventure, heritage and historical offerings, notably its rich Gandhara and Indus civilizations for foreign tourists to discover by taking advantage of the Govt. friendly tourism policies.
\nThis year\u2019s theme, \u201cTourism for Peace,\u201d reflected the nation\u2019s strong commitment and resolve to leveraging tourism as a vehicle for economic growth, poverty\u2019s alleviation, peace and social harmony.
\nIn Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government departments, NGOs and civil society joined hands to mark the day with a series of events, including walks, seminars, and award ceremonies, highlighting tourism significance for global and regional peace and economic growth for people\u2019s socio economic emancipation.
\nThe KP Culture and Tourism Authority (KPC&TA) held a prominent event at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar in connection with world tourism day, recognizing services of stakeholders, travelers and journalists for their great contributions to promotion of the tourism sector and awarded them for their impressive work.
\nWorld Tourism Day, established in 1980, commemorated the adoption of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) statutes in 1970, aiming to foster connections among nations and cultures across borders.
\nPakistan\u2019s diverse landscapes, primitive civilizations and ancient heritage sites\u2014six UNESCO World Heritage sites including Takht Bhai Mardan, Moenjo Dharo, Taxila, Makli monument Thatta, Shalimar Gardens and Shahi Fort at Lahore, Rohtas fort and five of the world\u2019s highest peaks with over 8000 meters heights including K2 and Naga Parbat in Gilgit Baltistan\u2014offered a rich tapestry for global tourists to explore.
\nSpeakers at the key event highlighted the Pakistan\u2019s historical significance in terms of different forms of tourism especially of being a
\nhome to the Gandhara and Indus civilizations, with archaeological sites revealing artifacts and statues from various eras besides preservation of Lord Buddha\u2019s statues and life stories in panels preserved at Peshawar Museum.
\nBakhtzada Khan, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums KP, noted significant discoveries, including human remains dating back to the Early Paleolithic period, which emphasized the region\u2019s deep historical roots.
\nHe exclusively pointed to the excavations in Soan Valley and Sangaro Cave, revealing evidence of human life as far back as two million years ago.
\nThese findings showcased the rich cultural narrative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where ancient people created tools and pottery, transitioning from a nomadic lifestyle to one that involved settled agriculture and food services.
\nAs the discussion shifted to the cultural crossroads represented by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the speakers elaborated on the province\u2019s role in the spread of Buddhism, particularly the Gandhara civilization, which flourished under Persian rule in the 6th century BC in the present day KP.
\nNotable figures, such as Alexander the Great, traversed these lands, contributing to the region\u2019s historical significance.
\n\u201cPeshawar Museum, housing over 30,000 artifacts including Gandhara art, serves as a crucial repository of this rich history, attracting monks and followers of Buddhism across the world.\u201d
\nAnaya Khan, a student who visited the museum along with parents, expressed awe at the preserved relics of Gandhara civilization and suggested the importance of digital media in showcasing these treasures to a global audience.
\nImpressed by the Lordh Buddha\u2019s life stories and swords of freedom fighters of Waziristan tribes of the pre partition era at Peshawar Museum, Anaya underlined the need for preparation of special documentaries for TV channels on Ghandhara art for education of students for which archeology department and KP culture and tourism authority should take a lead role.
\nFormer ambassador Manzoorul Haq emphasized that tourism is intrinsically linked to peace, broader road connectivity and economic stability.
\nHe urged for the promotion of Pakistan\u2019s adventure tourism potential in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, alongside the rich cultural heritage of Punjab and Sindh through digital media for economic gains.
\nAmbassador Manzoor advocated for the creation of short digital videos to highlight these attractions and hiring of digital media specialists, v bloggers, aiming to attract foreign investment and bolster the economy.
\nAs Pakistan looks to the future, it is clear that harnessing digital media to promote its historical treasures could not only revitalize the tourism sector but also foster a deeper understanding of its cultural heritage worldwide for people\u2019s prosperity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
World Tourism Day PESHAWAR As the world celebrated tourism day on Friday with enthusiasm, Pakistan emphasized its unique cultural, adventure, heritage and historical offerings, notably its rich Gandhara and Indus civilizations for foreign tourists to discover by taking advantage of the Govt. friendly tourism policies. This year\u2019s theme, \u201cTourism for Peace,\u201d reflected the nation\u2019s strong […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-433940","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n