Romania’s National Day Marked with Gala Reception in Karachi

Karachi, The Gulf Observer: The Embassy of Romania to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Pakistan Romania Business Council (PRBC), hosted a grand reception in Karachi to mark the early celebration of the 107th Anniversary of the National Day of Romania. The event was held at the Mövenpick Hotel and attended by distinguished members of the diplomatic corps, senior government officials, business leaders, media representatives, and friends of Romania.

The evening commenced with the national anthems of Romania, the European Union, and Pakistan. In his welcoming address, H.E. Dr. Dan Stoenescu, Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan, underscored the deep-rooted friendship and expanding cooperation between Romania and Pakistan in trade, education, culture, and diplomacy.

“Tonight, we celebrate not only Romania’s National Day but also the enduring partnership and mutual respect between our peoples. Romania and Pakistan share a commitment to dialogue, development, and solidarity. Karachi, the Sindh Governorate, and Romania share a historical connection rooted in their cooperation in the oil and refinery sectors, dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, when Romanian engineers and companies contributed to the development of Pakistan’s refining infrastructure. This collaboration laid the groundwork for enduring industrial and technical partnerships, reflecting the spirit of mutual trust and modernization between the two nations,” Ambassador Stoenescu stated.

On the occasion, Ambassador Stoenescu inaugurated a special exhibition commemorating 61 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and Pakistan. The exhibition featured archival documents and historical photographs provided by the National Archives of Romania and the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, highlighting key moments, official visits, and milestones that have shaped the longstanding friendship since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1964.

The ceremony also recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to strengthening bilateral relations:

• Mr. Atif Farooqi — 25 years of exemplary service promoting Pakistan–Romania trade relations.
• Mr. Suhail Shamim Firpo, Chairman PRBC — 16 years of leadership in advancing bilateral economic cooperation.
• Dr. Kaiser Rafiq, Chairman Discover Pakistan TV — for enhancing cultural and media collaboration.
• Major (R) Masood Ahmed Qazi, Honorary Consul of Romania in Peshawar — for dedicated consular service.
• Mr. Anwar Dar, Chairman Gift University — for launching the Pakistan–Romania Growth Window powered by PRBC.

Several new PRBC appointments were also announced, including Mr. Khawaja Atiq Ahmad as Chief of Global Leads, Mr. Mansoor Zafar as Regional Lead for Transport & Logistics, Dr. Akmal Sultan as Regional Lead for Health, and Mr. Amjad Hussain Shah, GM PTV, as Regional Lead for Culture.

The cultural highlight of the evening was an exclusive ballet performance, “Symphony of Light”, by renowned Romanian artists Alina Ciceo and Radu Domșa from Cluj, Romania, under the Ballet Beyond Borders initiative. The celebration also marked the launch of Romanian Culture Days in Pakistan, a series of events promoting Romanian art, music, and heritage across the country, aimed at strengthening people-to-people connections and shared cultural values.

The evening concluded with a ceremonial cake-cutting, symbolizing the friendship between Romania and Pakistan, followed by a gala dinner. The Karachi event marked the beginning of a series of celebrations leading up to Romania’s National Day on December 1, reaffirming the enduring spirit of unity, friendship, and cultural exchange between the two nations.