Underlining that Pakistan has a wide range of mountains as five of the 14 highest independent peaks in the world are in Pakistan, Ministry of Environment, Forest’s Deputy Inspector General Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani here on Saturday stressed the need for collective efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of mountains.

This he said while addressing at a weeklong children art competition titled ‘Pakistan Mountain Fest-2010’ and a youth seminar organised by Development Communications Network (DEVCOM) in collaboration with Lok Virsa and WWF Pakistan to observe the International Mountain Day on Saturday at Lok Virsa. Qaimkhani, who was the chief guest at the occasion, said the event provided an apt opportunity to reflect how important it was to empower indigenous communities and help them promote and preserve traditional knowledge, including sciences, agricultural practices, responses to global change, health practices, flora and fauna, oral traditions, crafts and arts. Lok Virsa Executive Director (ED) Khalid Javaid said the culture represented the way life of a community, as it comprised various forms of creative and artistic expressions adding it revealed how much a society was aware of its values, aims and aspirations.

He said the Lok Virsa aimed at focusing on youth as they had a huge potential a country could need for its development. “According to our popular slogan ‘Harnessing Culture for Education,’ we have created eight children folklore societies in various parts of the country including the remotest regions of all the provinces in a view to inculcate consciousness among school children about their indigenous culture and heritage.” He added the project was successfully running with generous support from the Norwegian government.

DEVCOM Chairman, and coordinator of the event, Munir Ahmed said the day was observed to increase awareness about the high statistics of natural hazards in mountainous areas and the high vulnerability of communities living there. He said it drew attention to consistent agricultural, forestry, flora, fauna and pastures practices, which were the key components of risk reduction. He added the art exhibition would continue for a week. Seventy-three entries from children of 30 schools were received for the art competition on the themes related to mountain, people, resources and environment which were judged by a jury including Asif Javaid Shahjahan, Lok Virsa museum’s director, Natasha Iqbal, Rohtas Gallery’s curator, Najam-ul-Hassan Kazmi, eminent miniaturist, Azeem Khan, painter and architect and Munir Ahmed, coordinator. Five students participated in each category with their artwork. The chief guest distributed prizes and certificates among the winners.