World Culture Festival brings global arts to Karachi

KARACHI: The third World Culture Festival Karachi 2026, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, will begin on Thursday with a series of cultural activities and performances featuring diverse artistic traditions.

The 25-day festival will open with a hip-hop dance performance and a qawwali night, bringing together different forms of artistic expression. Geo is the media partner for the event, which aims to promote cultural exchange and provide a platform for artists and performers to showcase their talents.

The festival’s formal inauguration will take place on October 30, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah scheduled to officially open the event. The festival is expected to feature a range of cultural activities and performances over the next 25 days, highlighting the diversity of local and international artistic traditions.

Ahead of the festival, a press conference will be held at 4:30pm at the auditorium of the Ahmed Shah Building. Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hussain Shah and Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi President Muhammad Ahmed Shah will brief the media on the event and its programme.

The World Culture Festival has emerged as a platform for cultural engagement, bringing artists and audiences together through performances and creative activities. This year’s edition will continue the effort to promote cultural understanding and artistic collaboration through a diverse programme.

The opening performances on Thursday will mark the start of the festival’s activities, while the formal inauguration by the Sindh chief minister will follow on Friday, October 30.