LAHORE: International experts will gather in Lahore in October to deliberate on the importance of ‘Archaeology and Heritage’ as essential components for preserving national identity and bringing prosperity in any country.
The international conference on “Archaeology Heritage of Pakistan-Challenges, Potential and Way Forward” will be held in Lahore from October 20-22 with participation of national and international level experts and a wide audience. The conference will be co-organised by Higher Education Commission (HEC), National History and Literary Heritage Division,UNESCO, Embassy of France in Pakistan, British Council, and Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).
The primary goal of arranging this conference is to sensitise the decision makers, educationist, bureaucrats and politicians that archaeology and heritage are a constitutive part of the country and must be given due importance.
The overall achievement of the conference would be that the audience walks away with a sense of urgency in terms of taking initiatives to protect and promote cultural heritage which subsequently would spark action on the part of various stakeholders.
The conference will come up with some concrete recommendations for various stakeholders which will be handed over to the government for further follow up and as input for a cultural policy.
The conference will help recognise the following goals: a positive approach about a renewed national narrative, taking into account a broader part of history, inspired by archaeology and heritage; and an economic approach bringing culture and in particular archaeology and heritage as an essential component of development through tourism for instance.