With an aim to project and promote southern Punjab’s indigenous cultural crafts across the country, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in collaboration with THAAP, organised an exhibition of the cultural products here at Lok Virsa.
The exhibition displayed the cultural products prepared under the joint initiative of One UN (ARP-JPC-2) project, ‘Promotion of Cultural Industries for Poverty Alleviation in Bahawalpur’ which was spearheaded by UNESCO in partnership with THAAP in 2011.
The project was carried out in five villages, Abbas Nagar, Dera Bukka, BC 33, DNB 112 and Bheli of district Bahawalpur while over 600 women and artisans participated in it.
Speaking on the occasion, UNESCO Country Director Dr Kozue Kay Nagata, who is very proactive in promotion and preservation of cultural heritage of Pakistan, said, “Capacity building, with artisans and designers’ collaboration, transferred and honed the skill level of a craftsperson in woven fabric, chunri making skills, embroidery and ralli making and developed designs to attract the contemporary market demands.
She added that new skills were also taught to the village weavers to increase their repertoire and equip them to explore different avenues and markets. Chunri and embroidered fabric of high quality was developed and the skills of continual design development were transferred to the marginalised artisan communities of district Bahawalpur to benefit from long-term projects.
Equipped with management and marketing skills, the participants of the project are poised for receiving orders from the Islamabad buyers.
The UNESCO endeavours to safeguard the intangible cultural assets of communities and create a nexus between cultural heritage and economic development. This project thus aimed at promoting livelihood opportunities for the rural communities, while safeguarding their cultural assets, and linking them to markets, particularly the discerning buyers.
Carried out within the joint programme initiative which has four components i.e. pro-poor sustainable agriculture, Decent Employment, Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups and MDG-Driven Policy Framework, the project has improved incomes of over 600 families and impacted five villages of district Bahawalpur.
Dr Kozue Kay Nagata appreciated the work of skilled female artisans present at the exhibition.
THAAP Executive Director Professor Sajida Vandal briefed the audience on outcomes and achievements of the project and appreciated the UNESCO for its financial and technical support. She added the exhibited products were given a very encouraging response and the sales figure touched to a handsome amount of Rs 200,000 in one day.
Dr Ali Abbas Qazilbash inaugurated the exhibition and offered technical expertise of UNIDO to strengthen market linkages of the handicraft enterprises established under the project.
UNDP Country Director Toshi Hiro Tanaka also attended the event and appreciated the initiative of the UNESCO and THAAP for economic empowerment of women from South Punjab.
