Karachi, November 4, 2025: The Embassy of Romania to 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 Romania’s National Day.
The event, held at the Mövenpick Hotel, brought together members of the diplomatic corps, senior government officials, business leaders, media representatives, and friends of Romania.
The evening opened with the national anthems of Romania, the European Union, and Pakistan, followed by welcoming remarks from Dr. Dan Stoenescu, Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan.
In his address, Ambassador Stoenescu highlighted the deep-rooted friendship and growing cooperation between Romania and Pakistan in areas such as 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,” he said. “Romania and Pakistan share a commitment to dialogue, development, and solidarity. Karachi, the Sindh Governorate, and Romania share a historical connection rooted in cooperation in the oil and refinery sectors dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, when Romanian engineers and companies contributed to Pakistan’s refining infrastructure — laying the groundwork for lasting industrial and technical partnerships.”
As part of the celebration, Ambassador Stoenescu inaugurated a special exhibition marking 61 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and Pakistan. The display, featuring archival documents and photographs provided by the National Archives of Romania and the Diplomatic Archives of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, showcased key moments, visits, and milestones since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1964.
The ceremony also included awards and recognitions presented by the ambassador to individuals who have made notable contributions to strengthening bilateral relations:
- Mr. Atif Farooqi, for 25 years of exemplary service in promoting Pakistan–Romania trade relations.
- Mr. Suhail Shamim Firpo, Chairman PRBC, for 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.
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 titled “Symphony of Light” by renowned Romanian artists Alina Ciceo and Radu Domșa from Cluj, Romania, presented under the Ballet Beyond Borders initiative.
The Karachi celebration also marked the launch of the Romanian Culture Days in Pakistan, a series of events promoting Romanian art, music, and heritage across the country. Through these initiatives, Romania aims to foster stronger people-to-people ties and celebrate the shared values of creativity, friendship, and cultural diversity.
The evening concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony symbolising the enduring friendship between Romania and Pakistan, followed by a gala dinner attended by all guests.
The event in Karachi marked the beginning of a month-long celebration leading up to Romania’s National Day on December 1, reaffirming the spirit of unity, friendship, and cultural exchange between the two nations.
