Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Sweden Henrik Persson at the Swedish residence hosted ‘Lucia Celebration’ the annual event featuring girls and boys clad in white full-length gowns singing songs together.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam was the Chief Guest on the occasion while one could see a large number of heads of missions, Charge d’Affaires, diplomats, their families and of course good number of children.
The guests not only enjoyed themselves the performance of the children singing hymns in white clothes, they also chanced to know one another as a large number of them of guests hailing from various fields were invited by the embassy of Sweden.
Tradition has it that Lucia wears ‘light in her hair’, that is a crown of candles in a wreath on her head. She is accompanied in song by her handmaidens, star boys and brownies.
Ambassador Henrik welcomed the guests saying in Scandinavia, these were the ‘darkest’ and the coldest days as scarcely there was light during the daytime. Amidst this darkness, St Lucia brings us light, joy and hope, he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the guests for accepting the invitation and hoped they would appreciate it.
The event was also attended by Senator Sherry Rehman and Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, MOS Chairman, Board of Investment (BOI).
Partners and friends of Sweden from different spheres of the society including Government, Swedish and Pakistani business community, Diplomatic Missions, UN Agencies, media and civil society also turned up to attend the performance. It was an opportunity to connect and explore future collaborations.
