Friday, November 15, 2013

Italy finances reconstruction of Swat Museum

LAHORE: Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani inaugurated new Swat Museum on Monday in Saidu Sharif. The Swat Archaeological Museum, which was originally built in 1958 with a master plan designed by Italian architect Vittorio Caroli, was first damaged in the 2005 earthquake and then in a bomb blast in 2008. The museum’s reconstruction, on the designs of two young and talented Italian architects Ivano Marati and Candida Vassallo, symbolises the enduring friendship between Italy and Pakistan and an important milestone for the protection of Pakistan’s multi-faceted history. Many of the Gandhara and Islamic artefacts and antiquities it houses are the result of joint labour of Italian and Pakistani archaeologists. Its re-opening will not only preserve the archaeological treasures of the Swat valley but also create livelihood opportunities for the local community by enhancing its tourism potential. The museum’s reconstruction was undertaken within the purview of Archaeology-Community-Tourism (ACT) Field School’s Project, co-directed by Dr Luca M Olivieri and Shah Nazar Khan. It was a project funded by the Pakistani Italian Debt Swap Agreement (PIDSA) under the umbrella of the Italian Development Cooperation in Pakistan. pr

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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