Bam-e-Dunya’ Film Festival pays tribute to mountain women

Bam-e-Dunya’ Film Festival pays tribute to mountain women
Gilgit: A day long ‘Bam-e-Dunya’ Film Festival concluded in Gilgit aiming to promote women empowerment and responsible mountain tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan. The festival was organized in connection with International Mountain Day at the Fatima Jinnah Degree College for Women Gilgit where short films were screened, skits were performed and panel discussion was held related to women empowerment and gender equality. Painting exhibition and model display were also part of the festival.
Raja Nasir Ali Khan, Minister for Tourism GB was the chief guest for the concluding and award ceremony. Speaking on the occasion the minister emphasized for collective efforts to promote sustainable tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan and create new avenues for women empowerment. He appreciated the effort of all the partner organizations to celebrate International Mountain Day and to come up with an innovative idea to organise Bam-e-Dunya film festival.
Haider Raza Director North, WWF-Pakistan said, it was the responsibility of every individual to take care of the natural resources and women are the main custodians of the mountain resources. We all need to protect our mountains which provide us water and is hotspot for biodiversity.
Manzoor Qureshi, Program Manager GBRSP said “the Bam-e-Dunya film festival provides a platform to the filmmakers belonging to GB to document mountain ecology and we are happy that a large number of female filmmakers have participated in the festival.
Khushnoor Didar, president women chamber of commerce Gilgit division said, “Women should not hesitate to start business and it is need of the time to get economically sound to support the family and society”.
According to the organisers, Bam-e-Dunya film festival is the biggest festival of the Gilgit-Baltistan which will be organised annually with stronger connectivity to the regional countries having mountains. Ten female filmmakers from different districts of GB participate in festival with the films.
The event was jointly organised by Tourism department GB, WWF-Pakistan, ICIMOD, GBRSP, AKRSP, KIU, Fatima Jinnah Degree College Gilgit, GB-EPA, SCO, IUCN, EVK2CNR and Serena hotels Gilgit.