‘Heritage Now’ kicks off

LAHORE :The inaugural ceremony of a two-day festival “Heritage Now” starting from today (Saturday) to celebrate the cultural heritage of Pakistan was held at Alhamra Arts Council here Friday.

The mega event is being organised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan in collaboration with British Council Pakistan, French Embassy in Pakistan, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) and UNESCO. 

Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony which was also attended by HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, British Council Country Head Ms Rosemary Hilhorst, WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari, President of the French National Museum on Asian Arts-Guimet Ms Sophie Makariou, European Union Ambassador Mr Jean Francois CAUTAIN, UNESCO Country Director Ms Vibeke Jensen, and a large number of students and members of civil society.

Speaking on the occasion, Malik Rafique Rajwana appreciated the organisers of the event, describing “Heritage Now" as a wonderful event, and emphasised on marketing and showcasing the heritage of Pakistan. “It is good to see that our heritage is being showcased through national and international partners,” he added.

The governor said our heritage is very precious that needs to be preserved. He informed the audience that he belonged to South Punjab which was full of historical places. He also mentioned about historical sites of Uch Sharif, Harappa, Mohenjo Daro, Kailash Valley, Swat and Kalam. He also related heritage with peace, particularly mentioning about efforts of law enforcement agencies to preserve country’s heritage. He advised the students that they should learn from the history of our ancestors and from our glorious past, adding that “you are the future of Pakistan.”

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said Pakistan was blessed to have a rich heritage of archaeological sites like Harappa, Mohenjo Daro, Taxila, Ranigat, and a great history of diverse cultures. He hoped this event would be highly beneficial for national and international archaeologists, historians, researchers, students as well as the public in general. “The event will generate need to explore the hidden archeological treasures through individual and institutional efforts” he added. Ms Rosemary Hilhorst said British Council was celebrating 70 years of working with Pakistani people and organisations. She said it was a pleasure to see such an exciting gathering, adding that through the event we were celebrating rich heritage of Pakistan. 

Ms Sophie Makariou said the French contribution to archaeology and heritage in Pakistan started long ago in early 19th century with the documentation of Takht-e-Bahi by the French General August Court to understand more about Asian heritage and culture. She stated that a long succession of French archaeologists worked in Pakistan, from Alfred Foucher who conceptualised Gandhara, to Jean-Marie Casal, Jean-François and Catherine Jarrige and Rolland Besenval who excavated for more than 60 years in Balochistan. She also informed the audience that till today a French team of archaeologists was excavating in the Sindh in Chanu Darho.

Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Dr Zaffar Mueen Nasar said PU started its full-fledged academic programme in Archaeology. Now, the programme had been extended and is also being offered in affiliated colleges of the university. He maintained that the university would be contributing to preserving our heritage through its skilled youth which was being graduated from its Department of Archaeology.

Ms Vibeke Jense said Pakistan has numerous historical sites, including Mehrgarh, Ranigat, Harappa, Kailash and Taxila where ancient civilisations resided for thousands of years. These historical sites had also been declared UNESCO World Heritage. “We need to manage, control and preserve these sites along with exploring new sites in days to come.” The two-day festival will feature panel discussions, exhibitions, performances, and academic paper presentations and much more at Alhamra Arts Council on Saturday (today) and Sunday (tomorrow).