Karachi (Showbiz Desk): The World Culture Festival 2026, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, began on October 29 and will continue until November 22. More than 1,000 international artists from over 150 countries and more than 500 Pakistani artists are expected to participate in the festival.
The festival will feature a range of programmes covering music, theatre, dance, film and visual arts. Stories of Palestinian artists will also be highlighted on the international cultural platform.
According to Arts Council Karachi President Muhammad Ahmad Shah, around 90 percent of this year's performances will be new, while 10 to 15 percent of last year's outstanding performances have also been included again.
The festival will present the play And Here I Am by Palestinian theatre director and actor Ahmad Tobasi on November 2. The play is based on his life, his time in the Jenin refugee camp, his experiences in prison and his journey into the world of theatre.
According to the organisers, artists from several countries, including the United States, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Latin America, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Algeria, Morocco, Türkiye and Egypt, will take part in the festival.
The visual arts exhibition Method and Madness will showcase works by artists from Bangladesh, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia. Swedish mural artist Domi Forrest and Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong will also be part of the exhibition.
The festival opened on October 29 with a Qawwali night by Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers, along with a hip-hop dance performance. The Method and Madness exhibition will run at the Ahmed Pervez Art Gallery from October 30 to November 2. Various theatre performances, including The Overcoat, will be staged on October 31, while Ahmad Tobasi's play will be presented on November 2.
According to the Arts Council, most programmes will be free for the general public, although advance registration will be required to attend. The festival will conclude on November 22 with a performance by Pakistani singer Sajjad Ali.