ISLAMABAD (APP) - National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage Lok Virsa on Friday organized a one-day seminar to depict culture and language of Gilgit-Baltistan. The seminar was the part of ongoing Wakhi Cultural Festival, currently being held at Islamabad under the aegis of Lok Virsa and Gojal Educational & Cultural Association, Gilgit-Baltistan. Renowned linguistic and professor from Quaid-i-Azam University, Dr. Tariq Rehman presided over the seminar. The participants also included Dr. Prof. Salman Ali, Fazal Amin Baig, Bulbul Nazir, Dr. Nadeem Shafiq Malik and Azam Khan Tajik. The important topics on which they spoke were Wakhi Language and Culture, Wakhi Folk Poetry and Folklore as well as Contribution of Master Haqiqat Ali in Promoting Wakhi Culture. Followed by the seminar, a Wakhi Mushaira was also organized in which leading poets from Gojal recited their poetry. The poets were Bulbul Nazir, Riaz Kili, Fazal ur Rehman Shirin Sodo, Haider Murad, Abdullah Bhai, Faiz Rahim, Asmatullah Mushfiq and Shumbi Khan. Wakhi Cultural Festival is continuing at Lok Virsa with a colourful display of indigenous crafts, folk music and traditional dances, showcasing the unique and vibrant cultural heritage and lifestyle of the Wakhi people of Gilgit-Baltistan region. The objective of holding the festival is to explore various facets of Wakhi culture, develop the understanding of the people about the unique characteristics and history of Wakhi culture and to pave way for documentation, research and preservation of history, language, arts and crafts of Wakhi community living in the Gilgit Baltistan region Under an ongoing Joint Institutional Cooperation Programme between Pakistan and Norway, the festival presents the rich cultural heritage, history, traditions, musical heritage and rituals of the Wakhi community living in the Gilgit-Baltistan region for centuries. Besides folk artists clad in traditional white Chogas, an array of folk arts and crafts from Gojal represented by master artisans are also present in the festival showing their mastery in various craft fields like floor rug weaving, pattu weaving, embroidery, wooden spoon making, gem stones, etc. Mehman Khan, Mehman Baig, Mohem Sultana and Aziza Begum are the master artisans of traditional floor rug called plas. The exquisite embroidery of Gilgit-Baltistan which is mostly done in cross-stitch is famous all over the world. Haji Bibi, Sultana and Aziza are the master artisans of Wakhi style of embroidery. They make wonderful and beautiful caps, handkerchiefs, crochet work, etc. Haji Bibi informed that their embroidery is so intricate that it takes almost a month to finish a traditional Wakhi cap. There were times when the raw material including silk was easily available in the border areas, but due now they have to go to Punjab to buy silk, she told.