UNESCO's New Children’s Heritage Centre in Islamabad: A Landmark for Future Generations

"How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites can you name in Pakistan?"

Amidst raised hands and a clamor of eager voices, a group of primary school students answered the question: "Rohtas Fort! Lahore Fort! Mohenjo Daro!"

"How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites have you visited in Pakistan?"

This time the response was considerably more subdued, as only a handful of students had visited any of the sites in person, despite several sites being located only a few hours away from the capital city Islamabad. This discussion was taking place at the newly established Children Heritage Center at Lok Virsa, with the support of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and UNESCO.

Pakistan has six sites inscribed on the World Heritage List: Archaeological Ruins of Mohenjo Daro, Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Sahr-i-Balol, Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens, MakliNecropolis, Rohtas Fort, and the Archaeological Ruins of Taxila. Pakistan also has three elements inscribed on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage: Suri Jagek, Falconry, and Nowruz.

For many childrenand youthin Pakistan, tangible heritage sites are things they may only have seen a picture of or heard a story about. There is a growing disconnect between children and youth and the tangible and intangible cultural heritage that forms an integral part of their everyday lives.

All the Culture Conventions of UNESCOcallfor educational programmesfor enhancing the role of community, children and youth in the safeguarding of their shared heritage.

Across Pakistan, the growing disconnect between people and heritage is resulting in a loss of socioeconomic benefits for people, and neglect and vandalism for heritage sites. At the same time, there is an increased recognition of the long-term impact of meaningful community involvement, especially children and youth, in the preservation, protection, and promotion of heritage sites. Increased focus on indigenous knowledge and cultural practices in classrooms is an important tool for promoting awareness and a deeper understanding of heritage, and the role children and youth can play in safeguarding it. Incorporating cultural knowledge into classroom learning encourages children and youth to engage with their heritage and connect with their cultural identity.

Education and Culture are key components of UNESCO's mandate, and as such, UNESCO Islamabad is well-situated to have completed successfully an intersectoral project focusing on supporting the Government of Pakistan in improving access to education and safeguarding cultural heritage through various measures, such as enhancing the educational role of museums in Pakistan. Museums in Pakistan host highly rich collection of antiquities and carry a deep-rooted history of the people of this territory. To be effective, the museums should be made interactive and engaging to transmit to the societythe rich knowledge of local culture and achievements of the people from the past and promote museums as places of learning. Responding to this need, under the "Support to Girls' Right to Education and Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Through Education in Pakistan" project, UNESCO Islamabad with the support of AICS and in close collaboration with Lok Virsaestablished a learning space for children and youth at the Lok Virsa Heritage Museumin Islamabad.

UNESCO partnered with the Lok VirsaHeritage Museum and established a Children's Heritage Centre within the museum premises in Islamabad. The Children's Heritage Centre has been created as a permanent space for children and youth to access digital and physical resources on cultural heritage, and to enhance the educational role of museums. It is intended to be a space for young visitors to engage with art, culture, and museum objects. The centre is an example of the educational programming that museums in Pakistan should develop to increase audience engagement and learning.

Since its inauguration, the centre has held several events for children and youth including discussion sessions, storytelling sessions, and museum visits. These events foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of their cultural heritage. Where visiting a site in person may not be immediately possible, immersing into cultural discussions in open, welcoming, and inclusive museum spaces like the centre, can be a way to experience heritage and develop appreciation and affection for the ties that bind them together.

The Children's Heritage Centre is available for visits and events by appointmentthrough Lok Virsa Heritage Museum.