LAHORE: (Thursday, December 18, 2025): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali has said that travel plays an important role in the development of culture, language and society. He was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day international conference on “Travel Literature: A Cultural Bridge between World Cultures”, organized by the PU Department of Arabic here on Thursday. On this occasion, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Department of Arabic Prof Dr Hamid Ashraf Hamdani, 15 delegates from Egypt, Algeria, Jordan and other countries, as well as a large number of students from various universities and colleges across Pakistan were present. In his address, PU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Ali said that in ancient times people used to travel from one place to another for the purposes of acquiring knowledge and trade. He said that travel has been a major source for the spread of Islam and knowledge. He said that even in the era of social media, people take the world on a virtual tour by sharing their travel observations, experiences, places and cultures. He said that traveling with someone reveals a great deal about that person’s character. He remarked that Pakistani travel narratives are a classical example of cultural exchange, which begin in the Arab world, reach Sindh, and include the study of Hazrat Sultan Bahu. Praising the Department of Arabic for organizing an excellent conference, he said that this unique event would provide students with valuable learning opportunities. Prof Dr Hamid Ashraf Hamdani stated that delegates from 15 countries are participating in the two-day third international conference. He said that debates, training workshops and various competitions would be organized during the conference. He also expressed gratitude to Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali for his support in making the conference successful despite limited financial resources. The conference will continue on Friday (today).