United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

CULTURE

Resources

Regular Programme 2008-2009

1. Mapping of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Azad Jammu and Kashmir
2. Heritage Conservation at the Sindh Museum
3. Development of Textile industries in Bahawalpur

Ongoing extra-budgetary projects

Mapping of Culture Assests
The idea of "cultural mapping" arises from a social, economic, or cultural need at the local or national level. Although it is not an end in itself, cultural mapping serves as a tool and methodology to answer this need. Relevant to UNESCO is the mobilization of existing tools and instruments as a fundamental step in its general objective of safeguarding cultural diversity.

Cultural mapping, as one such instrument, embraces a wide range of techniques and activities that range from community-based participatory approach in identifying and documenting local cultural resources and activities to the use of innovative and sophisticated information tools like GIS. More

Conservation of Shalamar Gardens, Lahore
Shalamar Gardens, a marvel of Mughal garden architecture, is one of the greatest gardens in the world, representing of the Islamic concept of Paradise. The site was inscribed on the World Heritage List, along with Lahore Fort in 1981, for the following outstanding universal values or criteria.

The two sites:
i) Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

ii) Exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design; and
iii) Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. More

Previous extra-budgetary projects

1. Conservation of Lahore Fort
2. Emergency Assistance for Shalamar Gardens
3. Baseline studies on Shalamar Gardens

Other Projects

Preservation of Endangered Moveable Cultural Assets of Gandhara Art
Pakistan has inherited a wealth of rich and diverse cultural heritage - a legacy of successive civilizations which flourished in the region over the centuries. Gandhara, the cradle of Buddhist Civilization, which gave birth to the famous Gandhara Art, is first mentioned in the Rig-Veda, the religious book of Aryans. It remained one of the provinces of the Achaemenian Empire as per Darius inscription of the 6th century BC.

Pushkalavati (Balahisar-Charsadda in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan) was its first capital from the 6th century BC to 1st century AD, which was invaded in 327 BC by Alexander the Great. Later, Gandhara was ruled by Mauryans, Indo-Greeks, Scythians and Parthians rulers. Read more...

List of UNESCO's normative instruments in Culture and those ratified by Pakistan

Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
Paris, 2005

Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
Paris, 2003
Ratified by Pakistan in 2005

Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage
Paris, 2001

Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects
Rome, 1995

Convention on Biological Diversity
Rio de Janeiro, 1992

Convention on Indigenous and tribal people
Geneva, 1989

The Multilateral Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation of Copyright Royalties
Madrid, 1979

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
Berne, 1979

The Convention relating to the Distribution of Programme-carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite (Satellite Convention)
Brussels, 1974

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Paris, 1972
Ratified by Pakistan in 1976

The Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms
Geneva, 1971

The Universal Copyright Convention
Paris, 1971

Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
Paris, 1970
Ratified by Pakistan in 1981

Customs Convention concerning Facilities for the Importation of Goods for Display or Use at Exhibitions, Fairs, Meetings or Similar Events
Brussels, 1962

The International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations
Rome, 1961

Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
The Hague, 1954
Year of accession: 1959

The Universal Copyright Convention
Geneva, 1952
Year of accession: 1954

Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials ("Florence Agreement") and its Nairobi Protocol of 1976
Ratified by Pakistan in 1952