Every year, 9th August is being celebrated as the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples, mandated by UNESCO. This year’s theme is “COVID-19 and Indigenous Peoples’ Resilience”. The aim is to highlight the resilience of indigenous peoples in the face of the pandemic and enhance awareness on how their traditional knowledge can be leveraged during this pandemic to become stronger in the face of crisis.



Components of the programme:
A. Webinar with eminent cultural icons on the topic ‘Challenges faced by the indigenous peoples in Pakistan in times of COVID, available opportunities for them to use their traditional knowledge and cultural practices, and the resilience of indigenous peoples’.

The participants of the webinar are:
1. Prof. Sajida Vandal - She is the CEO of THAAP, a non-profit organization working in culture, art and architecture in Pakistan. Ms. Vandal is also serving as Vice Chancellor of Institute for Arts and Culture, Lahore. She has worked as a professor of architecture at NCA Lahore and also served as its Principal twice. Her main fields of expertise are: architecture and planning, cultural heritage management and conservation, art and culture education, community development and empowerment of women.

2. Ms. Moneeza Hashmi - Ms. Hashmi is an internationally renowned media personality, a producer, and a Pride of Performance Awardee. She has also served as a Director Programmes at PTV. In 2019, she became the chairperson of the board of governors of the Lahore Arts Council, becoming the first woman to hold the board chair.
Ms. Hashmi, as representative from UNESCO, will be presenting insights on the ResiliArt movement for artists and cultural professionals in the face of COVID. UNESCO launched this global movement in April 2020.

3. Mr. Luke Rehmat - He is a social entrepreneur and CEO/Founder of Ishpata News Network, a digital media project aims to preserve the Kalash’s oral traditions in written form and to promote local community through this platform. He was one of the organizers of Pakistan’s Indigenous winter sports festival, first of its kind in the country, in years 2012, 2012 and 2016. Recently, he has been selected as a representative of Kalash community in 12 member committee formed for Preparation of the Nomination Dossier for the Inscription of Kalash on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

4. Mr. Aziz Ali Dad
He was Crossroads Asia Fellow at Modern Oriental Institute, Berlin Germany, and research fellow of Asia Leader Fellow Leadership Program, Japan. His core interest lies in history of ideas and sociology of margins. He has Publications at national and international level.
Mr. Ali Dad regularly writes for the mainstream media on the issues pertaining to peripheral communities. He is a regular columnist of The News as well as he regularly contributes to daily Dawn, weekly The Friday Times and some research journals. He has delivered lectures on culture, politics, arts and literatures in national and international conferences and universities. With interests in philosophy, identity politics culture and issues of Gilgit-Baltistan, he is noted for his pioneering work in understanding identity, politics, history and cultural dynamics in Gilgit-Baltistan.

B. Performances of the esteemed cultural artists, musicians and dance groups.