Lok Virsa to consolidate contacts with Norway

By Mahtab Bashir

ISLAMABAD: Enhancing people-to-people contact through cultural exchange between Islamabad and Oslo, Lok Virsa in collaboration with Norwegian government has undertaken a joint Institutional Cooperation (JIC) Programme.

Khalid Javaid, Lok Virsa executive director, told Daily Times that a research project was initiated in 2008 by Lok Virsa and Norsk Folkemuseum (NFM), Oslo, under Joint Institutional Cooperation (JIC) Programme between Pakistan and Norway as studies on dialogue between two civilizations and cultures.

The donor agency is the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (represented by Royal Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad) and Norwegian partners include Riksantikvaren (Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage), Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Folk Museum) and Rikskonsertene.

Two separate fieldworks were undertaken wherein researchers from both sides interviewed migrants and their relatives in Pakistan and Norway with a view to ascertain matters relating to the migration and its overall impact on the life of migrants.

In order to focus on outcome of the joint research project as well as to discuss the experiences and present results from two fieldworks, a seminar was held in Oslo on April 13 and 14 under the aegis of NFM. An official delegation from Pakistan headed by Lok Virsa Deputy Director Anwaarul Haq and comprising two researchers Saeedur Rehman and Unwaar Mohyuddin attended the seminar and presented papers on migration and transnational relations between Pakistan and Norway.

The Norwegian participants included Thomas Walle, Inger Jensen, Kristin Gaukstad, Inger Anne Heldal, Lyder Marstander and Anne-Lise Reinsfelt.

The major topics on which the participants emphasized were migration, transnational impact, gender, change & continuity, religion, home, generation, community and sense of belonging.

Based on the joint fieldwork and detailed deliberations made by the participants, a number of recommendations were suggested as outcome of the research project. The report of the seminar is expected to come out by June 30.

Besides research and documentation, other significant programme activities under JIC revolved around institutional strengthening of Heritage Museum at Lok Virsa, exchange of exhibitions, music exchange programme as well as competence building within Lok Virsa and innovative initiatives aiming to promote and project indigenous folk culture and traditional heritage.
Courtesy: Daily Times