UN mobilises funds to preserve heritage sites in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: With Mohenjodaro and other heritage sites in Sindh facing growing vulnerability to disasters, the Unesco has mobilised funds to preserve the province’s cultural heritage sites.

Recognising the urgent need to act, Unesco mobilised $150,000 from the World Heritage Fund to assist the Sindh government in assessing the damage and taking immediate remedial measures to protect the two Unesco World Heritage Sites against the impact of future rainfall.

Another $50,000 follow-up restoration project was initiated at Makli to rehabilitate two severely damaged tombs due to the floods. These efforts have reinforced the importance of integrating disaster risk preparedness into the preservation of cultural heritage, Unesco says in a press release.

The monsoon floods of 2022 damaged cultural heritage all over the country and, in particular, devastated several historical sites across Sindh, including the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro and the Historic Monuments at Makli, both Unesco World Heritage Sites, and these sites suffered with severe structural damages caused by excessive rainfall.

According to the culture sector analysis led by Unesco in the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment 2022, these disasters caused widespread damage of about $6m, endangering Pakistan’s irreplaceable cultural treasures.

Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage stands as a testament to its vibrant history and diverse people, but it has been increasingly under threat from many natural and man-made disasters, Unesco says.

In response to these challenges and long-term capacity building needs, Unesco, in collaboration with the Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology of the Sindh government, organised a five-day workshop on “Disaster Risk Reduction for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage” which concluded last week at the historic Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro.

Led by Dr Cristina Menegazzi, the international expert on culture and heritage at Unesco office in Pakistan, the workshop engaged 25 participants from provincial authorities, the Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan, universities, foreign archaeological missions and private cultural heritage companies, to exchange knowledge and best practices.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2024