WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s annual Mango Festival returned to the Embassy of Pakistan on Thursday with a message that extended well beyond the country’s celebrated summer fruit.
Aptly themed “The Sweet Taste of Friendship”, this year’s gathering reflected the growing warmth in Pakistan-US relations as Islamabad assumes an increasingly significant diplomatic role in the region.
The embassy’s flagship cultural event attracted hundreds of guests, including senior US administration officials, members of Congress and their staff, diplomats, business leaders, think tank scholars, journalists and members of the Pakistani-American community.
Conversations over slices of Chaunsa, Sindhri and Anwar Ratol frequently turned to expanding trade, regional stability and the renewed momentum in bilateral relations.
Among the senior US officials in attendance was Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Konstantin Dubrovsky, who served in Pakistan for three years.
