Shigar
Fort: A New Model of Conservation
Combines Economic and Cultural Objectives
 Shigar,
Pakistan, May 2005 -- The inauguration of
the restoration of Shigar Fort in Baltistan, Pakistan,
scheduled for the 30th of May, has been postponed
due to weather.
The
Fort, which has been converted into a small residence
with guest rooms, presents a new model for the restoration
of endangered cultural monuments in Pakistan and elsewhere
in the Muslim World.
Featuring
guest rooms that highlight the heritage of the region,
the project is meant to bring cultural and economic
objectives together in a way that sustains the operations
and maintenance of the Fort while providing a catalyst
for economic improvement in the area. The project
is also part of the infrastructure for a new form
of cultural tourism that combines accommodation at
an international standard with intimate, first-hand
experience of the unique natural and cultural heritage
of the area.
The
project is one of a series of social, cultural and
economic development initiatives carried out by the
Aga Khan Development Network in the Northern Areas
of Pakistan since the early 1980s.
The
restoration of the Shigar Fort/Palace and its conversion
into the "Shigar Fort Residence," by the
Aga Khan Trust for Culture, builds on a process that
began with the restoration of Baltit Fort (inaugurated
in 1996) and the historic village of Karimabad, both
in the Hunza Valley. While it builds on these earlier
efforts, it also represents a pioneering approach
that stresses adaptive re-use. In addition to restoration
efforts, the Trust has also focused on reviving traditional
skills, generating new employment opportunities and
providing training in the jobs needed for a changing
economy.
The
Shigar project is part of a broader cultural development
programme that has included the restoration of two
mosques and rehabilitation of the settlements of Chinpa,
Halpapa and Khlingrong. Water and sanitation services
to the village have been upgraded
In
the Khaplu area, the Trust has also undertaken restoration
of the astana (historic tomb) of Syed Mir Muhammad,
in Khanqha Settlement, and is beginning restoration
of Khaplu Fort.
Baltit
Fort, the Trust’s first project, was completed
in 1996. The Hunza Valley settlements of Karimabad
and Ganish, and projects in Baltistan, were completed
in subsequent years.
The
work of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Pakistan
has won a number of awards, including the UNESCO Asia-Pacific
Heritage Conservation Awards and British Airways Tourism
for Tomorrow Awards. Among others, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific
Heritage Conservation Award for Excellence 2004 received
by the Trust’s Historic Cities Support Programme
for the Baltit Fort restoration cited the following:
“By demonstrating that historic structures can
be saved, restored and recycled for continued use
in the community, the Baltit Fort project is a model
for the revitalisation of historic structures throughout
the northern regions of Pakistan.” In 2000,
the Baltit and Karimabad projects received a British
Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Global award. According
to the citation, “These activities are playing
a major part in reinvigorating the traditional community
spirit and restoring the residents' pride of their
heritage. A self-paying waste management project has
been set up to safely dispose of human waste and garbage.
The restored site now attracts over 20,000 visitors
annually, half of which are from outside the country.”
For
more information:
Sam
Pickens
Information Officer
Aga Khan Development Network
P.O. Box 2049
1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 909 7277
Fax: (+41 22) 909 7292
E-mail: sam.pickens@akdn.org
Notes: The Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN)
activities in Pakistan encompass cultural, economic
and social development and include microfinance, agricultural
programmes, health, and education, the introduction
of clean-water supplies and sanitation facilities,
construction of mini hydro-electric plants, the improvement
of public open spaces, community-driven village rehabilitation
and house renovation. The Network is a group of private,
non-denominational development agencies and institutions
that seek to empower communities and individuals,
often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living
conditions and opportunities in specific regions of
Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Active in over 30
countries, the Network's underlying ethic is compassion
for the vulnerable in society. Its agencies and institutions
work for the common good of all citizens, regardless
of origin, gender or religion.
The
Aga Khan Trust for Culture is one of the agencies
of the Aga Khan Development Network. It focuses on
the physical, social, cultural and economic revitalisation
of communities in the Muslim world. It includes the
Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Historic Cities
Support Programme, the Music Initiative in Central
Asia, the Humanities Project, the on-line resource
ArchNet, the Museum Projects and the Aga Khan Program
for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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