Lok Virsa, UNESCO hold faculty session on integrating intangible cultural heritage into higher education
The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa), in collaboration with UNESCO, organized a faculty session titled “Pedagogical Tools for the Integration of Intangible Cultural Heritage into Higher Education Curricula” on Monday to promote the inclusion of Pakistan’s living cultural traditions in academic learning.
The session brought together university faculty members, education experts, researchers, academicians and cultural practitioners to deliberate on innovative teaching methodologies for integrating intangible cultural heritage (ICH) into higher education curricula.
Organized under the project “Community-Based Inventorying and Capacity Building of Indigenous Communities for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the session highlighted the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge, traditions, oral histories, performing arts and cultural practices through formal education.
Participants exchanged ideas on developing pedagogical tools that would enable universities to effectively incorporate Pakistan’s diverse cultural heritage into classroom teaching, research and curriculum development. The discussions also focused on strengthening cultural knowledge transmission, enhancing students’ understanding of indigenous traditions, and encouraging greater appreciation of the country’s rich cultural diversity.
Speakers emphasized that integrating intangible cultural heritage into higher education would not only help safeguard Pakistan’s living traditions but also foster cultural identity, social cohesion and sustainable development by connecting younger generations with their cultural roots.
The event was organized by Lok Virsa in collaboration with UNESCO, with the support of the National Heritage and Culture Division, the Centre of Excellence for National Cohesion and Outreach, and other partner institutions working for the preservation and promotion of Pakistan’s cultural heritage.
