LAHORE: Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) will hold a two-day (June 13-14) International Mountain Film Festival at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall.

It was announced by Minister for Tourism Rana Mashhood in a press conference at 90 Sharah-i-Quaid-iAzam here on Wednesday.

The festival being jointly held by Eyebex Films and Punjab government will be a platform for showcasing the beauty of mountains, culture and people. Besides, TDCP, City District Government Lahore (CDGL) and Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) are also collaborating with Eyebex Film in the project.

Some 500 or so films were submitted for the festival from 80 countries around the world, out of which 40 have been selected for screening at the festival. Delegates, including documentary filmmakers, festival directors from other such events, adventure seekers and journalists from all over the world will be attending the event.

According to the organisers, the event is realisation of the fact that the mountains are our unique asset that shouldhave been projected and portrayed to the outsideworldasanaturalplayground for tourism and adventure sports.

The event was also an attempt to qualify for membership of Italy-based prestigious organisation -International Alliance for Mountain Films having 22 countries as its members, so that Pakistan could also showcase its great mountain tourism potential, they added.

They said Kathmandu Mountain Film Festival is the only event of international standing that takes place in Asia and Nepal, through this platform, had very successfully promoted its mountain tourism.

The event will also help promote a soft image of the country.

EXHIBITION: Speakers at the launch ceremony of an exhibition to be held in November said on Wednesday Pakistan had immense potential in the global market of printing which was estimated around $925 billion while the share of Asia was burgeoning to 40 per cent of the total.

Around 150 people from the printing andgraphicindustryinPunjabattended the launch of International Printpak 2015 Exhibition to be held in Karachi in November at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Kenyan High Commissioner ProfJulius K Bitok said Pakistani printing market had a very strong potential and that Pakistani companies must come to Kenya to set up businesses. He urged the organisers to invite Kenyan companies to the exhibition.

Speakers said Pakistan had immense potential in the global market of printing which was estimated around $925 billion while the share of Asia was burgeoning to 40 percent of the total.

They said the biggest print show would bring global players of the industry together and promote soft image of Pakistan.

Badar Expo Solutions` Jaffer Abbas told Dawn that the printing sector had a registered industry of worth $4 billion with total 15,000 registered printing units in the country whereas it was the second largest industry providing employment to approximately over two million workers after the textile industry.

He said up to 12 Chinese companies had shown their interest in participating the exhibition to exhibit their products.

LCCI President Ijaz A Mumtaz said: `The chamber will support and promote printing industry and we can increase its role in national economy by creating employment and business opportunities.