ISLAMABAD, Dec 23 (APP): The workshop of weaving craft is continued to attract children and amateur craftpersons here at National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa till December 27.
Master trainers are actively involved in imparting training classes to children.
A 70-year old Pari Bibi from a remotest village in Badin, Sindh practicing dying craft of Farasi (traditional floor rugs), an established Taghar (floor rug) weaver Shah Behram from the far-flung area of Tank in Kyber Pakhtunkhwa adjacent to FATA, maser artisan in Khes (quilt), Durree (carpet) and Khaddar weaving Muhammad Sarfraz from Punjab, Shawl weaver Fazle Wahab from Swat, Deedar Ali in pattu (woolen strip) and Shah Faqir in Sharma (floor rugs) from Gilgit Baltistan and carpet weaver Hussain Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are among the instructors.
The workshop is the fifth one in the series of programs titled
“Craft of the Month” carrying the slogan “Harnessing Culture with Education”. The one-year program aims at focusing on a particular craft every month with major emphasis on promoting traditional crafts and providing an opportunity to the youth community, specially children, who has little or no exposure to the living cultural heritage of Pakistan, to interact with skilled artisans and learn essential craft related techniques from them.
Three programs under this series including Truck Art, Pottery and Doll Making have already been organized while the next program is Block Printing that will take place from January 4th to 10th.
“We have initiated this program for students and young children around folk crafts. Our Heritage Museum highlights one craft for a week every month and have artisans and experts available for children to engage them in creativity.
These craft-persons not only display their skills and make them in front of the people but also teach children and have materials for them to experiment with the medium”, says Dr. Fouzia Saeed, Executive Director, Lok Virsa.
The on-going craft of the month program aims at creating a link between culture and education, encouraging youth to value dignity of labor, fostering ownership for their culture, inculcating respect for different professions and character building.
It also helps understanding the contributions of artisans in the sustainable development of their community and country at large, engage students in creative works by providing them on-ground opportunities to learn craft skills and recognize the hard work of artisans associated with various fields to ensure continuity of the traditions and documenting, promoting and preserving the rich craft heritage of Pakistan.
Around fifty students studying in various schools and colleges working under the administrative control of Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) are participating in the current program.
