WASHINGTON:
The Pakistan Embassy organized its annual mango festival on Thursday, welcoming a large crowd to discover the “King of Fruits” during the event which was part of the awareness efforts of the Embassy public.
The rally included diplomats, representatives of the US government, congress staff, members of the reflection group, media representatives and the Pakistani-American diaspora, according to a press release from the embassy.
In his welcoming remarks, ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh stressed the importance of mangoes in Pakistani culture and society that qualify them as “the best mangoes in the world”.
Pakistan, he said, is the sixth producer worldwide, with an annual culture of around 1.8 million metric tonnes.
Speaking on occasion, Mary Bischoping, deputy assistant secretary (DAS) for the South Affairs and Central Affairs Bureau, thanked the Ambassador Sheikh for his continuous leadership in the strengthening of the American-Pakistani bilateral relationship.
“For decades, the United States and Pakistan have worked together to solve some of the most critical problems in the world. Before, we are about to continue to develop our cooperation through a range of common interests,” said assistant deputy secretary.
Ms. Bischoping also praised Pakistan initiatives to improve trade and investment and confirmed the American commitment to economic cooperation. “We hope to extend mutually beneficial commercial and commercial opportunities, especially in the growing critical mineral sector of Pakistan,” she said.
The deputy deputy secretary also underlined the important contributions of the Pakistan-American community. “In the United States today, more than 700,000 Pakistanis workers are invaluable members of American society. Our work in the State Department benefits directly from the patriotism, talent and passion of this community,” she said.
