The European Union National Institues for Culture (EUNIC) has launched a 'River Heritage' project in Bangladesh to promote the value of architectural traditions of old Dhaka.
EU Ambassador in Dhaka Charles Whiteley, Director of British Council Tom Miscioscia, Director of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka Francois Grosjean, Head of department of architecture of BUET Prof Shayer Ghafur, Indian architect Kamalika Bose, and visual artist Ashfika Rahman met the press on Monday at a Dhaka hotel and announced the new project which will be run between Jan 2023 and 2024.
The EUNIC is a network of European national institutes of culture and national bodies engaged in cultural and related activities beyond their national borders.
In Dhaka, it is partnering with the Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, British Council, Spanish and Belgian embassies, and the EU delegation in Bangladesh.
The project will concentrate on old Dhaka's architectural heritage, its people's way of life, the means of their subsistence, and the intricate relationship they keep between the river and the city.
Over 80 architectural students from architecture schools in Dhaka, Mumbai, Trivandrum, and Paris will work on the project.
They will be split into working groups to investigate topics such as endangered heritage, circular economy, urban agriculture, innovation as part of traditional activities, informal sectors, the way public space is distributed and corporate culture in the eight ghats.
The results will be published in a book and will be included in the official programme of the Dhaka Art Summit 2023.
Several cultural activities will follow the project throughout its length to inspire thought and curiosity about the old Dhaka's tangible and intangible heritage.
