From Friday 17 to 19 February 2023, Canberra will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the National Multicultural Festival. This iconic event is Australia’s largest celebration of cultural diversity with it's more than 170 unique nationalities, featuring music, dance, food, and art from around the world. The festival is an opportunity for people from different cultural backgrounds to come together, share their traditions, and showcase their unique contributions to Australian society. 

The Embassy of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan together with the ACT Afghan community have chosen to participate in the National Multicultural Festival this weekend to share the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan with the wider Australian community. Despite the challenges faced by Afghanistan, the country has a long and proud history of art, music, and dance that is little known outside the region. By participating in the festival, the Embassy hopes to raise awareness of Afghanistan's unique cultural contributions and to foster greater understanding and appreciation of the country's rich cultural heritage.

The Embassy of Afghanistan and Afghan community's participation in the festival will be a celebration of the country's diverse culture, featuring a variety of traditional music, dance, and art. Visitors to the festival can expect to experience the vibrant colors and sounds of Afghanistan through the performances of skilled musicians, dancers, and artists. They can also learn more about the country's unique cultural traditions through interactive displays and exhibitions.

The festival promises to be an exciting and enriching experience for all who attend, celebrating the many diverse cultures that make up the Australian community.

IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES:

The Embassy of I. R. of Afghanistan will showcase Afghan art and culture for raising awareness and cultural understanding. 

Time: 19 February 2023, From 10 AM to 5 PM
Location: Section C - Stall C12, Petrie Plaza  

Afghan Fold Music:

Performing traditional Afghan folk music.

Time: 17 February 2023 6.20pm
Location: Section F - Garema Place Stage

Attan and Qarsak - Afghan Showcase: 

The Canberra Afghan Community will bring traditional Afghan musicians to play Afghan music for Canberra! Yes, Afghan music and traditional dance for the first time in the history of this beautiful multicultural festival! Don’t miss out this to see our live performance.

A group of performers will come on the stage to perform the traditional “Attan” dance (performed by a group). The second performance will be another traditional group dance called “Qarsak” and will be performed by traditional performers.

Time: 18 February 2023 10.00am
Location: Section B - Ainslie Place Stage

Musical Performance:

Abbas Neshat is a well known musician from Afghanistan and he is also a singer, songwriter, and composer.
Abbas was a co-star in AfghanStar a singing competition and managed to get to top singers of the year.
His songs are very popular among Afghan people. Specifically his songs with Dambura (Afghan instrument) singing with Ghazal is just amazing.

Time: 19 February 2023 12.30pm
Location: Section D - Akuna Street Stage

For more details, please visit https://www.multiculturalfestival.com.au/festival-program

Stay tuned and enjoy!