Over 40 artefacts and sculptures of Gandhara art displayed in Seoul, South Korea which attracted people from around the world. A spokesman of Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) said that Director General (DG) Archeology, Samad Khan also participated in the inaugural session of the exhibition which aimed at to highlight the century's old civilization of Gandhara art.
People from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China-Taipei and Korea participated in large scale. The Gandhara artefacts and sculptures have been put on display for the first time after the 2006 exhibition in Germany. Besides this exhibition, it is worth mentioning here that a 2-member Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) team filmed various Buddhist sites of Gandhara civilization, which aired on South Korean official television.
Lee Heon, Hong, and Eun Hee, producers of the KBS had their visit to ancient sites and filmed various Buddhist sites. The exhibition is actually part of the signed MoU between National History and Literary Heritage (NHLH) Division with the Inter Art Channel, Republic of Korea to organize an exhibition of Gandhara artefacts and sculptures from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in two cities of Korea.
Monk Maranantha, credited for spreading Buddhist teachings across the Korean peninsula in the late 4th century AD, was originally from Chota Lahore in district Swabi, therefore Buddhist followers of Korea have deep-rooted spiritual and religious attachment with Pakistan. The people of Pakistan are not aware of the fact that South Koreans trace the roots of their Buddhist heritage to centers of Gandhara civilization located in Pakistan.
The exhibition the rich Buddhist archaeological treasure of Pakistan have been put on display in Korea which largely attracted people from different walk of life. The exhibition would continue for sixth months and would further strengthen the existing excellent relations between Pakistan and Korea by opening a new avenue of cultural cooperation.