• Organizing Committee
• Working Paper
• Preliminary Program

KIRAT is organizing an international workshop on Development Issues in Earthquake 2005 Affected Areas (EQAA) from 1-4 April 2009.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE  

Architect Yasmeen Lari, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Chair & CE, Heritage Foundation  

Dr. Azra Meadows. OBE. University of Glasgow, UK

Prof. Peter Meadows, Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam, University of Glasgow, UK

 

WORKING PAPER

 

Introduction: Heritage Foundation and KIRAT

Heritage Foundation (HF), established in 1980 as a Lari family trust, is a Pakistan-based not-for profit social and cultural organization engaged in research, publication and conservation of Pakistan’s cultural heritage. HF is now incorporated under Section 42 of Companies Ordinance, 1984. Since 2000, HF’s outreach arm KaravanPakistan has involved communities and youth in heritage safeguarding activities in Pakistan.

As part of HF’s Heritage for Rehabilitation and Development programme, work on several projects has been undertaken for rehabilitation of communities, particularly women, affected by the 2005 Great Earthquake in Northern Pakistan. These are currently focused on rural communities in the Siran Valley.

In the Earthquake Affected Areas (EQAA), HF’s mission is to rebuild confidence, pride and ownership of the communities by restoring heritage assets, and maximizing effective use of natural resources through value added products. This also includes capacity building and enhancement of economic opportunities with particular emphasis on women’s empowerment.

KIRAT (KaravanPakistan Institute of Research & Training) has been established by Heritage Foundation with the objective of providing a platform for research and training into various aspects of the EQAA. KIRAT’s programmes are based around four thematic units: Cultural and Vernacular Heritage, Development, Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation, and Conservation and Sustainability. These thematic units include education and clean water initiatives.

April 2009 International Workshop

The proposed workshop is the first of a series of seminars and workshops. These are planned to develop collaborative linkages between the rural communities and educational and research institutions and experts at a local, national and international level.

The first workshop will aim to develop initiatives jointly with the Siran Valley rural communities that will promote the sustainable uplift of these communities, improve education especially for girls, and protect the Siran Valley’s unique biodiversity, ecology and cultural environment.

It will lay the foundations for joint research and training programmes working collaboratively with members of local communities. The visits to the field sites in the Siran valley will provide participants with an outstanding insight of the potential for working in these areas.

 

Topics for Discussion

Biodiversity

Environment

Anthropology & Social Science

Primary Health Care

Natural hazards

Cultural Heritage

Livestock

 

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

 

Day 1: Wednesday April 1, 2009

Arrival at Base Camp, Battal, Siran Valley

Orientation

Workshop organisation

 

Day 2: Thursday April 2, 2009

Visits to village communities. Kodar and Jabbar

 

Day 3: Friday April 3, 2009

Morning: Brain storming

Afternoon: Plan of future action

Evening: Cultural Evening

 

Day 4: Saturday April 4, 2009

Final wrap up session.

Depart mid-day