Daily Times

Celebrating World Tourism Day 2022, an exhibition of paintings and Heritage Crafts from Rohtas Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site opened here Tuesday at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). The show was inaugurated by Federal Secretary, National Heritage and Culture Division, Fareena Mazhar while Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), diplomats and a large numbers of artists, art and craft lovers were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Secretary said that National Heritage and Culture Division supports the heritage, national museums and monuments and give them space to shine.

Artists in this show not only created beautiful arts and crafts but also selling them for cause, she said, adding that crafts of Pakistan are renowned across the world for their intricate beauty. These events help promote our artists and historical monuments for cultural education and sustainable tourism in Pakistan.

Director Italian Agency of Development Cooperation (AICS) Emanuela Benini, said that Italy is promoting culture and heritage in Pakistan through various projects and initiatives. Director UNESCO, Yousaf Filali said that UNESCO across Pakistan is supporting preservation, promotion and protection of heritage through education and community development.

MD, PTDC, Aftab ur Rehman Rana said World Tourism Day is a time to renew the pledge that tourism is an important tool that serves as a catalyst for economic growth that is ultimately associated with job creation and boosting the travel and hospitality sector. “The art and craft in this show will not only support the creativity of the artists and craft persons but also create a sense of responsibility among the viewers towards our national heritage,” he added.

He said this work is unique for a cause for raising funds for local community and highlighting the value of heritage.

Art works showcasing collection by as many as ten talented artists from across the country are on exhibit experimented with oil, acrylic and watercolor mediums to promote sustainable and responsible tourism of the World Heritage Site of Rohtas Fort.

The event was organized by PTDC, Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan (STFP) in collaboration with PNCA, Serena Hotels, UNESCO Islamabad and Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

STFP with support of AICS and technical assistance by UNESCO Islamabad in collaboration with the Directorate General of Archeology – Punjab carried out a series of interventions to engage the local community living around Rohtas Fort in safeguarding cultural heritage between 2020-2021. This included training of tour guides and establishing a social enterprise to create handmade souvenirs.

Following the successful conclusion of these interventions, STFP developed an innovative strategy to increase the sustainability of the social enterprise. Ten talented artists from across Pakistan were invited to a three-day painting trip at Rohtas Fort. The artists attended guided tours, taught basic painting techniques to school children and created live paintings on-site. The artists also worked with STFP to promote sustainable and responsible tourism at the World Heritage Site.