Int’l Museum Day: Need for preserving history, culture stressed

ISLAMABAD: National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage in Lok Virsa celebrated the International Museum Day on Wednesday by highlighting the important role museums play in preserving history and culture.

The day was commemorated to create awareness among the general public, particularly students, about the importance of culture and its impact on the growth of a society.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed said that culture should be a national priority for Pakistan because the country needed cultural preservation more than ever today.

“Culture cannot be enclosed in a corner. It is present in our relationships, in our lifestyle and in our homes, clothes, food, and language. And museums preserve culture in its original form,” she said.

Speaking to the various students present, Saeed encouraged them to visit and become members of the Lok Virsa museum.

“Students should be best friends with museums because they can teach so much. We are planning to launch a committee for children for the Lok Virsa museum and I encourage students to join the committee to learn and benefit from different perks,” she said.

Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Associate Professor Ayesha Imdad gave a presentation, which explained the purpose of museums and highlighted their significance.

National College of Arts (NCA) Rawalpindi Director Dr Nadeem Omar Tarar said, “Our museums are relevant to our lives, today too”.

“Educational institutes and teachers should realise the significance of museums and use them to demonstrate the concepts of books. For instance, a biology teacher can take their students to the Museum of Natural History in Islamabad to demonstrate several concepts. Doing so will make students realise the significance of museums and inculcate a fondness for visiting them,” he said.

Lok Virsa Deputy Director Anwarul Haq said that the Lok Virsa aimed to preserve the cultural and historical value of Pakistan.

“Lok Virsa has always sent out a message of love, peace and prosperity, which is the message passed by our history as well. It is this message that we see in our culture and religion as well,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2016.