Objectives

Mandate for Field Research, Collection, Cultural Studies, Oral Traditions, Folklore, Indigenous Cultural Heritage and Traditional Culture

Covering Countries

Pakistan

Field of Programmes

• To engage in research. systematic collection, documentation. Scientific preservation, projection and dissemination of oral tradition, folklore and other aspects of indigenous cultural heritage.
• To aim at strengthening and nurturing the roots of Pakistani culture and to achieve fundamental objectives regarding its rediscovery and reinterpretation to project the true identity of Pakistan.
• To establish cultural complexes an d museums for the purposes of displaying living arts and crafts, cultural artifacts and rare objects from all parts of Pakistan.
• To establish cultural industries, art and craft galleries, artisan villages, hold and organize festivals.
• To retrieve advance knowledge of the general public and promotion or cultural heritage and cultural industries of Pakistan.
• To carry out studies, investigations, surveys, to collect data and prepare feasibility reports about schemes, projects and programmes to the extent required for fulfilling the objects.
• To arrange and provide training and technical assistance to its staff as well as participating NGOs and community based organizations, educational institutions through training programmes, existing services, workshops, seminars, publications and training programmes and scholarships within Pakistan or in such other countries as the Board may deem appropriately.
• To improve knowledge, understanding and practice of different aspects of indigenous cultural heritage and to devise ways and means for a broader dissemination through employment of modern media technologies.
• To establish centers of excellence, activate existing institutions and build or innovate new institutions and forge mutually beneficial private-public sector partnerships.
• To prepare and implement such other plans and programs to promote cultural heritage of Pakistan.
• To promote cultural heritage such that it plays its rightful role in developmental issues such as economic reforms, investment, industry, education, poverty alleviation, literature, human rights and human development.
• To cause to be prepared and implemented such schemes and programs for the promotion of welfare of its employees.
• To do all such other things as are necessary or incidental to the promotion or advancement of the objects of the Institute.

Major Programmes on ICH

Major activities & programmes

National Heritage Museum

Pakis tan Museun of Ethnology

Established at Islamabad in 2004 depicting and presenting the living cultural traditions and lifestyles of the people of Pakistan covering an area of 60,000 square feet featuring exhibit halls making it the largest museum in Pakistan. Regularly visited by dignitaries, state guests and other VIP delegations apart from a large number of students, scholars and general public.

Sound Archives

The Voices of Our People

Over 20,000 hours of professionally recorded tapes of authentic cultural materials documented scientifically as a storehouse of the nation's heritage for posterity.

Heritage Library

Over 20,000 books, manuscripts and rare materials on Islamic heritage, Sufi writings, Pakistan's cultural heritage and oral traditions for use of the scholars. Open to public.

Video Archives

The Images of Pakistan

Over 5,000 hours of professionally recorded videos on international telecast standards depicting cultural traditions, rituals, rites and festivals.

Virsa Media Centre

State-of-the-art Production Facility

One of the largest publishers of the traditional music and culture. Produced, edited and compiled audio/ video cassettes, CDs, VCDs, DVDs and documentaries on Pakistan's cultural heritage.

Annual Artisans-at-work Festival "Lok Mela"

Annual festival, popularly known as Lok Mela, organized by Lok Virsa annually. Master artisans, folk performers, rural artists, musicians and dance groups from all regions of Pakistan participate and win recognition for their talents. It aims at reviving endangered traditional arts of Pakistan and features folk entertainment, puppet shows, folk dances, music concerts and exotic craft bazaar.

Citizens participation

Lok Virsa works in close collaboration with non governmental organizations (NGOs) and citizens to undertake wide range of specific activities.

Periodicals

N/A

Major Publications

Lok Virsa is a cultural storehouse of literature pertaining to Pakistani traditions. Original research works in all regional languages are published. Books have been produced in series such as folk songs, folk tales, folk romances, epics, folk entertainment, folk poetry, Sufi poetry, cultural information, cultural gazetteers, surveys, folk classics, oral traditions and rare reprints.

Published over 200 books on various facets of Pakistani folklore and cultural heritage covering all regions of Pakistan.

Major publication of Lok Virsa which is currently being published is the Pakistan Encyclopaedia of Folklore aiming to present, publish and disseminate the Cultural Encyclopaedia of Folklore in sever al volumes. Field surveys and cultural studies are undertaken to col1ect and update required information.

Data Provider

Lok Virsa