A Christmas Dinner was hosted at the Embassy of Pakistan, Paris on December 21, 2023. Ambassador of Pakistan Asim Iftikhar Ahmad welcomed the guests and thanked them for being part of the celebrations. He said that this coming together of people from different faiths, nationalities and backgrounds, is what makes this celebration of Xmas special. He said that Christmas is a time of happiness, celebration, sharing and remembrance. More importantly it reminds us of the message of Jesus Christ – message of peace tolerance and compassion for everyone around the world. He added that by celebrating DIVERSITY – we promote harmony and tolerance – as this is a mosaic of our modern states, our societies and the global community. The Ambassador further highlighted that it is the same message of peace common to all divine religions including that of Islam and our Prophet Muhammad’s (p.b.u.h.) universal teachings reflect the same. It goes without saying how important and relevant this universal message remains for the entire humanity today, he added. We are committed to promote harmony, ensure fundamental rights and equal opportunities for all Pakistanis as equal citizens as guided by the vision of our Founding Father – Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Ambassador appreciated the contributions of the Pakistani Christian community both in Pakistan and abroad where they are the key pillars of Pakistani diaspora. The Christian community remain proud contributors towards the establishment of Pakistan going back to 1947 – and decades of nation building ever since. They are and will always remain an essential and integral part of our multicultural society. While outlining the active role of Pakistan at the international level the Ambassador duly recognized many friends who have over the years worked with Pakistan in building bridges across nations and civilizations. The Ambassador also shared that the UN General Assembly had recently unanimously adopted the traditional resolution jointly presented by the Philippines and Pakistan on the “Promotion of inter-religious and inter cultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace”. The Christmas Dinner was attended by large number of French friends and families, Pakistani Christian community, diplomats and people from all walks of life. Guests were treated with traditional Pakistani food while goody bags brought more smiles to the children. The officers and staff of the Embassy also attended the event marking Christmas celebrations.
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