PRESS RELEASE N0: 08-009

                                                          Islamabad: 30^th January, 2008           

            The Embassy of Japan, in cooperation with the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Islamabad, Pakistan National Council of the Arts and MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan, has organized the annual Japanese Calendars Exhibition 2008 at National Art Gallery from 30 January to 1st February, 2008. The exhibition was inaugurated today 30th January, 2008 by H.E. Mr. Seiji Kojima, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, and Syed Ijlal Haider Zaidi, President of the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, Islamabad, and will remain open for the public on 31st January and 1st February, 2008 from 09:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.             

            The Japanese Calendars Exhibition is an annual event, becoming quite popular year by year among the citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This year, 111 calendars are being put on display in the exhibition. The subjects covered in this exhibition are such as contemporary and traditional art, gardens, scenery, costumes, people, art, photography, pottery, automobiles, wildlife, communication, and historical places, which are related to Japan. Since every calendar is a piece of art, the producing companies have tried their best to attract viewers through different subjects and mediums. The exhibition not only gives a picture of the socio- cultural development of Japan spread over centuries, but also exhibits the aesthetic features of Japanese artists.

            An interesting aspect of the exhibition is that most of the calendars are produced through an eco-friendly process and they are printed on paper manufactured from trees of managed forests, non-tree sources like sugarcane, and recycled paper. This is in line with Japan’s firm commitment to the preserve the environment. No use of conventional materials never means depreciation of the quality. We can still see the brilliant printing technique. Visitors can witness the brand-new printing technology crystallized in Japanese calendars, and they can also enjoy the diversity of Japan through our calendars exhibition.               

            After this exhibition, all the calendars will be distributed to the visitors, through a lottery. The lottery winners will be informed by post, and they can pick up their prizes from the Press, Information & Culture Department, Embassy of Japan. (End)