Workshop on re-adaptive use of heritage sites concludes

LAHORE:THE first National Heritage and Tourism Workshop organised by Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) concluded on Sunday at Lahore Fort.

The experts on heritage, tourism, culture and arts were invited from all over Pakistan to the three-day workshop. The main theme of the discussion at the workshop was “Re-adaptive use of Heritage Sites and Business Model for Sustainable Tourism.” The participants agreed to the concept and gave consent to make the heritage spaces lively by tourism activities and also emphasised on creating state-of-the-art souvenirs, developing more museums and maintaining them on the international standards and engaging media to highlight the culture and heritage in Pakistan.

They also shared their case studies and expertise with each other. Colorful cultural evenings were also arranged for them. The speakers included Kalim Ullah Lashari, archaeologist from Sindh, Dr Fauzia Saeed, former executive director, Lok Virsa, Brig. Dr. Adnan Salim, director, Army Museum, Rawalpindi, Brig. Zaman Nasarullah Niazi, director general, Army Heritage Foundation, Yasmin Lari, senior architect from Karachi, Dr Asma Ibrahim, director, State Bank Museum, Mian Attique Ahmad, director, Punjab Arts Council, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, senior architect), Salman Beg, CEO, Aga Khan Culture Service Pakistan, Dr Fauziah Qureshi, president, ICOMOS Pakistan, Prof Sajida Vandal, vice-chancellor, Institute of Art and Culture, Sajjad Kausar, senior architect and member of Heritage Conservation Board of WCLA, Dr Jaevria Manzoor Sheikh, VC, University of Art and Culture, Jamshoro, Irshad Ahmad Pirzada, director Archaeology Department Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Midhat Shahzad, secretary, AJK Archaeology Department, Shahzad Nawaz, creative head of different media houses, Aziz Ali Dad, cultural expert, Gilgit Baltistan, Dr Rustam Khan, curator, Punjab archaeology, and Dr Nadhra Shahbaz, associate professor, LUMS.

The topics discussed in the workshop included Conservation of Tomb of Sultan Ibrahim at Makli World Heritage Site, Heritage of Sindh, Challenges to its Preservation, The Inclusivity & Accessibility in Museums , A Case Study of State Bank Museum, Sustainable Historical Cities, Living Heritage of Anarkali, Documenting Intangible Culture – A Few Successful Examples, Kartarpur - The Lost Essence, Harnessing Heritage for Community and Socio-Economic Development, Capitalising Built Heritage for Tourism, Military Heritage Preservation, Conservation Projects at Lahore Fort, Role of Army Heritage Foundation, Cultural Change in Gilgit-Baltistan: Contenders and Discontents, Conservation of Heritage in AJK, Evolution of Walled Cities in Lahore from past to present, Sustainable Development and Regional History Museums - A Case Study of Layalpur and Montgomery museums, Role of Media in Promoting Tourism and Heritage, and Accruing Benefits to Proximate Communities of Heritage Sites: Sharing Experiences from South Punjab.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari expressed his gratitude to the speakers who had come from all over Pakistan. “We should make this a regular feature and such gatherings are important to know each other. We have learnt a lot from the eminent scholars at the workshop.”

This workshop will again be held in next year. “We have learnt that branding our cities is important and making outclass souvenir shops and product lines is needed. I am glad that all the participants agreed on sustainable tourism and re-adaptive use of heritage sites,” he concluded.