Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese inaugurates two-day ‘Colours of the Ice’ exhibition at PNCA

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese on Monday inaugurated the two-day ‘Colours of the Ice” exhibition at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in Islamabad.

The exhibition is part of the 13th edition of the Pakistan Mountain Festival, an annual event organized by Devcom-Pakistan to mark International Mountain Day on December 11.

The display includes 21 large-size photos capturing the colors and textures of glaciers in northern Pakistan, 40 photos depicting the Boltoro cleanup, 12 paintings from the Himalayan Odyssey series by Raja Changez Sultan, and artwork by students.

Ambassador Ferrarese highlighted the vital role mountains play globally and expressed Italy’s support for initiatives in research, science, conservation, and development. He commended organizations such as the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, EvK2CNR, UNDP, and IUCN for their efforts in empowering mountain stakeholders for resource conservation.

The significance of mountains, serving as biodiversity hotspots, water towers, and habitats for diverse communities, was emphasized. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Pakistan’s country representative, discussed the vulnerability of mountains and their inhabitants to climate change.

Aziz Ahmad Jamil, Secretary Finance of Gigit-Batistan, acknowledged the contributions of development partners and expressed the need for support to harness the region’s hydro and biodiversity potential.

Maurizio Gallo highlighted the dynamic nature of glaciers, and the exhibition’s portrayal of the “Colors of Ice” through satellite photographs, AI-generated images, and artistic interpretation. He mentioned that the exhibition unveils the colors of ice as seen through the eyes of nature, science, and art.

Jacopo Branchesi, representing AICS, shared insights into their project activities in Pakistan related to mountain conservation, livelihood, and tourism. The exhibition, interpreting the “Colors of Ice” through an artist’s sensitivity, will continue on December 12.