Minister for Public Works Naeem Akhtar today inaugurated the second edition of Kashmir World Film festival at Tagore Hall in the presence of eminent artists and film personalities. The Minister while welcoming the initiative said that such festival will provide an avenue to local youth to tell their stories at a larger level. “We have huge potential in Kashmir, but the only thing is that we don’t have avenues. Such festivals provide a platform for local youth to interact with masters in the field and learn a lot,” said Akhtar. He said that Kashmir has a rich history with potential for making films on numerous story ideas. He called on the youth to explore the exciting world of cinema. The Minister praised the organizers for also starting a five-day film workshop for the students that will be held alongside the festival. He said that the cinema is one thing which joins us all and youth will learn a lot in this field. Renowned filmmaker Govind Nihlani, Syed Mirza, Rajat Kapoor, Rahat Kazmi, Satish Kaul, Talat Rekhi, Phunsok and others were present in the function. Facilitating the film personalities with mementos, the Minister said that in the era of breaking news syndrome, such festivals showing positive image of Kashmir is a welcome.