KARACHI, Jan 23 (APP): Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi on Friday witnessed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony to upgrade the National Museum of Pakistan.
The MoU signing ceremony was held between the Federal Ministry of National Heritage and Culture and the Aga Khan University for the upgradation of the National Museum of Pakistan at the University Center of Agha Khan University (AKU).
The MoU aimed at formalizing a strategic partnership for revitalizing the National Museum of Pakistan through institutional strengthening, conservation and enhanced public engagement. This collaboration represents a significant investment in safeguarding Pakistan’s shared history while reimagining the museum experience for future generations.
The Federal Minister and senior leadership from AKU and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and other stakeholders attended the ceremony.
While addressing the MoU ceremony, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi said that our cultural heritage was the bedrock of our national identity and a source of immense pride for all Pakistanis. He said this partnership with the Aga Khan University represents a step in our mission to safeguard this legacy.
“By revitalizing the National Museum of Pakistan, we are not just preserving artifacts; we are creating a world-class center of learning and inspiration that will showcase Pakistan’s rich history to the world and foster a deeper sense of unity and connection among our citizens”.
He said that the project aimed to upgrade the National Museum of Pakistan through a comprehensive programme of institutional strengthening with a focus on curatorial enhancement, public engagement and improved stewardship of the museum’s collections.
Through this collaboration, the partners seek to support the museum’s role in preserving, presenting, and sharing Pakistan’s cultural heritage with wider and more diverse audiences.
To oversee these efforts, an Advisory Committee has been established co-chaired by Director General of Archaeology and Museums Aman Ullah and Vice Provost at AKU Pakistan Professor Anjum Halai.
Vice Provost Professor Anjum Halai said, “Museums play an important role in education in society through promoting an understanding of one’s culture and heritage.”
He said that students and faculty of the newly launched Faculty of Arts and Sciences will play a pivotal role in this project.
The AKU and other agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) will provide strategic, technical, and advisory support to the upgradation of the National Museum of Pakistan.
The project will bring also together the history faculty of AKU’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, historians at AKU’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations in London, and AKU’s Department of Archives in a focused scholarly collaboration.
President of AKU Dr. Sulaiman Shabuddin said that when His Late Highness the Aga Khan discussed the work of the Aga Khan Development Network in the field of culture and heritage, he returned repeatedly to one word in particular. A very powerful word: Pride. Culture is, he said, a source of pride. It has the power to inspire and unify an entire nation. And it can reveal that nation, at its best, to the outside world.