Not only was the aroma of fresh Pakistani mangoes wafting through the air during the Mango Festival, but the culture and tradition of Pakistan were also on display. Everything was also mango-colored or fruit-themed – from the yellow carpet welcoming guests to the walking robot delivering mangoes to visitors, the mango-inspired Harley Davidson motorcycle, as well as the various dishes, salads and desserts with mango ingredients.

Sheikh Nahyan visited the stalls of mangoes of different varieties including: Chaunsa, Langra, Baigan Phali, Fajri, Sunehra, Anwar, Ratol, Botel, Kaiser, Badami, Dussehri, Sindhri, Neelum, Lal Badshah and Saroli. He also reviewed Pakistan’s various mango products.

Mangoes are heart-shaped fruits and Pakistan’s Consul General Hassan Afzaal said it was fitting that the two-day festival had its theme – Connecting Hearts, The Mangolicious Way.

“Very happy that we have a number of diplomats here; the main idea is to promote the different varieties around the world,” he added.

South Korean Consul General Moon Byung-Jun, who came with his wife Jiwon Kim, told Gulf News: “It’s our first time to attend this unique event and we really enjoy Pakistani mangoes.

The two days, which end today, are organized by the Consulate of Pakistan, the Pakistan Business Council and PAD. In attendance were diplomats and representatives of trade missions from various countries, including Afghanistan, Albania, Ghana, Egypt, Bulgaria, Chile, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Maldives, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Lithuania, United Kingdom, United States, South Korea, France and the Philippines. , among others.

PAD Chairman, Faisal Ikram said, “The Pakistan Mango Festival is a unique way to celebrate connectedness and inclusiveness that reflects PAD’s mission.

He added that the Mango Festival will also benefit Pakistan Medical Center – “our flagship project, which is an exemplary model of tolerance that provides quality healthcare to people of all nationalities in the UAE.”

Dawood Sharif, Head of Education Committee at PAD, added: “Pakistan Mango Festival is one of the best experiences we have had so far in Dubai. We witnessed a huge turnout at the event and high level delegates from many countries visited us. Some guests, who normally thought mango had only five or six varieties, were educated through quizzes and competitions on the wide variety of fruits and the possibilities of using mango in different dishes. They also enjoyed colorful animations. It was an informal and international platform with a dual approach: promoting tourism as well as the export of mangoes.

Day 2 of today’s festival (July 2) is an open community event. There are interactive games for adults and children, cooking competitions, a mango art workshop, sports, shopping, a photo booth and much more. There will also be a #MangoForACause booth, with all proceeds going to support free healthcare at Pakistan Medical Center.