We Connect Makli Project
Project Supervisor:
Manzoor Ahmed Kanasro
Director General- Antiquities & Archaeology
Project Director:
Zahida Quadri
Assistant Director – Antiquities & Archaeology
Project Location:
Makli, World Heritage Site
Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan
listed in UNESCO in 1981
Project Goals:
Connecting people and heritage for peace and resilience
Establishing networks, increases awareness, and informs policy with an overall aim to reduce disaster risk for tangible and intangible heritage and associated communities.
Project Objectives:
Establish a connection and communication between Community, Government & relevant Stakeholders without the difference of age, gender & religion.
Initiate a First Aiders Task Force for emergency response.
Initiate a Disaster Risk Management plan for the Site
Mark Disaster safe zone on site.
Establish an emergency response cell on Site to facilitate Makli’s people
Bringing heritage protection into Provincial & National Disaster Policy and workplan.
Project Description:
The project We Connect Makli was initiated for protecting the World Heritage site of Makli from the reach of disaster & Communal Conflict.
A major cause of conflict is the emotional connection of the community with this place. Hundreds and thousands of people are associated with the site due to its religious importance.
The project aimed to connect communities, government departments, and international organizations with the site to protect it from disaster, vandalism, and conflicts.
The project idea was presented and implemented by Ms. Zahida QUADRI, from March 2021 to October 2022. “ We Connect Makli” has made Makli a center of connection for the Community, Government Bodies & Custodians without the difference of age, gender & religion and connected them to respond to Emergencies, Conflicts & Disasters together and make Makli secure for its visitors
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Contributed to SGDs:
This is the first project in Pakistan in which any heritage site has contributed to achieving Sustainable Development Goals. This project is a role model, and replicable for other sites to be adopted. Among 17 goals, the project has achieved four of them:
Goal 17 Partnership: it is a partnership between more than 7 institutions and 25 individuals from the local community.
Goal 5, Gender Quality: Among 25 individuals and three trainers, six were female. It is a good figure in a region where females are reluctant to be part of any Disaster Risk reduction activity.
Goal 13, Climate Action: during 2021 and 2022 due to climate changes, the Sindh province was hit badly by heavy rain and floods. Due to this project, a team of 25 first Aiders has been trained and prepared to respond to climate change effects on World Heritage Sites, spread awareness in the community and take immediate measures for adjacent heritage sites.
Goal 16, Peace, Justice, and strong institutions: by involving various institutions and individuals, the project director aims to form a team that consists of participants belonging to diverse backgrounds and religions. This project Significantly contributed to reducing all forms of intolerance and violence and became a way to Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
Long-term Impact:
Heritage will be added/included in Policy Making for future
Connection & Communication extended among Different Sectors, citizens & Government.
One after one project will replicate on other Heritage sites and these will be ready to respond the emergency
DRR & DRM plan will be initiated of heritage site.
PARTNERS INSTITUTION IN PROJECT
