It is a matter of great satisfaction that the Pakistani Dutch community, with the support of the Gemeente Den Haag and Pakistan Embassy, is organizing the Second Pakistan Cultural Festival 2011. The event has an added attraction this year in the form of Pakistan Food Festival 2011. I am confident that the two events this year will consolidate, and build on, the success of the first Festival in 2010, which attracted thousands of Dutch, Pakistani and other visitors to Pakistani music, delectable cuisine and an array of rich cultural activities.

I am happy to note that this year's Festival promises to be an upgrade by several notches on the last year’s event, be it logistics, music or cuisine. I congratulate the organizers for their commendable efforts to put together a full program rich in cultural hues.

This is indeed a valuable contribution of Pakistani-Dutch community to bringing various communities together in sports, culture and fun, and thus help promote harmony and understanding amongst the residents of this great country The Netherlands.

I am happy that in keeping with the past tradition, the Festival is being organized as a voluntary undertaking on no-profit-no-loss basis, and is essentially a service to the Pakistani and other communities living in the Netherlands. For its part, the Embassy of Pakistan is pleased to cooperate with this endeavour.

I wish to thank the local government of The Hague (Gemeente Den Haag) for its valuable support. I would particularly like to recognize the unstinting support and cooperation that Alderman Mr Baldewsingh has rendered to make this undertaking successful.

I wish the organizers well and the participants of the Festival happy time.

Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry