Pakistan's national flag was raised at Cork City Hall today to mark the 76th anniversary of its independence.
It was followed by a celebration in the council chambers organised by the Irish-Pakistani community in Cork which will also see the civic bulding lit up later tonight with the colours of Pakistan.
Upwards of 70 adults and children attended, among them the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Kieran McCarthy, members of An Garda Síochána including Superintendents John Deasy and Conor Dillon, Tahmina Kazi from Cork Traveller Visibility Group, Graham Clifford of Cork Sanctuary Runners and members of the Irish-Pakistani community in the city.
Organizer Fahmeda Naheed thanked Cork City Council for hosting the event saying that when she had discussed celebrating the 76th independence day at home with her children, they started asking her questions about their identity.
"They are born in Cork and had never seen Pakistan," she said.
"They are typical Cork souls, restless, full of energies, Cork accents and learning Irish.
"This is a similar story of all children - second generations - Irish children born to Pakistani parents.
"I told them that they are having their own identities as Irish citizens. We, as parents have been living here for one, two, or over two decades, are now having our own identities as Irish-Pakistani citizens".
She described today's celebration as a historic event for the community as it is the first time that an Irish local authority has marked Pakistan's independence day.
Welcoming members of the Irish-Pakistani community in Cork to City Hall, Lord Mayor McCarthy said both communities share a colonial history.
He said it is very important that the city celebrates the various identities within it because they make up "the rich pool that is the overall identity of the city - a city which is highly ambitious, full of community life and full of neighbourhoods".
Following a recitation from the Koran, both national anthems were sung.
The children then sang the rugby anthem 'Ireland's Call' which they like because it "incorporates us all, first and second and future generations".
