Thousands of enthusiastic foreigners visited Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Saturday, marking the day-long ‘Open House’ programme.
The US Department of State proclaimed the event as International Cultural Awareness month in honour of Cultural Tourism DC’s ‘Passport DC’ in May. Visitors from all over the USA and other countries joined the ‘Open House’ programme organised in collaboration with Cultural Tourism DC, a Washington-based nonprofit organisation. Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin and all officers of the embassy welcomed the guests, said a media release on Sunday. The ‘Open House’ programme included display of Bangladesh’s handicrafts, tourism destinations, historical places and cultural programmes.
The Bangladesh Embassy availed of the opportunity of exhibiting Bangladesh’s rich culture and heritage as well as Bangladesh’s contributions to peacekeeping missions under the United Nations.
Local artistes performed folk songs and dances. The visitors took keen interest in the display of a three wheeler ‘Rickshaw’, a popular mode of transport in Bangladesh while youngsters in henna demonstration.
The visitors also enjoyed traditional Bangladeshi cuisine. More than 3,000 people visited the Embassy at the Open House programme, aimed at showcasing cultural diversity through holding of such events in liaison with the foreign embassies in Washington DC. As many as 50 embassies from Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and the Americas participated in the program with artists and artisans, performers, lecturers, teachers, and others provide a range of educational and cultural programming. Participants enjoyed food, art, dance, fashion, and music of different countries. This was the ninth consecutive year that this cultural programme was organised at the Bangabandhu auditorium of the chancery building.
