Lok Virsa to set up ‘Lok Sangat’

Culture academy will teach young students about cultural heritage, regional languages

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to preserve folk and cultural traditions, heritage and regional languages and to create a conduit for it to be passed on to future generations, the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage — Lok Virsa, is planning on starting a cultural academy called ‘Lok Sangat’. Classes of the academy are set to commence by April this year.

The information ministry has directed the Lok Virsa administration (a subsidiary of the department) to devise a strategy to promote culture as well the awareness amongst the youth regarding cultural heritage in the country.

The Lok Virsa administration has also been directed to collect data of college and university students and to engage them in cultural activities of the Lok Sangat, highlighting the importance of indigenous culture amongst the youth.

A Lok Virsa official said that Lok Sangat and the cultural academy aims to transfer regional languages and cultural heritage to the next generation.

For this purpose, renowned musicians and singers will be hired by the academy to educate the youth about the music.

It will become a benchmark for preserving the cultural heritage of the country while the academy will award certificates to students after they complete courses.

Earlier, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had urged Pakistan’s government to preserve its national heritage, folk music, regional languages and artists. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2019.