Prince Charles launches arts education project for Pakistan

LONDON: The Prince of Wales Charles has launched an arts educational programme in Karachi, which will help Pakistani students learn about traditional arts and their heritage.

The Prince of Wales announced the launch of partnership between the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts (PSTA) and Rangoonwala Foundation’s centre in Karachi, where the courses will be taught.

At the occasion, Prince Charles said “I am very proud to be able to announce today a new partnership with the Rangoonwala Foundation. Together, we intend to establish a new school for traditional arts and crafts in Karachi, Pakistan, which will, I hope, make a vital contribution to the arts in Pakistan and, furthermore, will introduce a new generation to the timeless principles that have defined their heritage.”

The Prince of Wales had established The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London, UK, nearly thirty years ago. It has proved a successful model and there are now schools nurturing traditional arts in Baku, Cairo, Jeddah, and China. Karachi will be a proud addition to a growing and illustrious list.

Traditional Arts School in Karachi will offer courses in traditional Islamic geometry, ceramics, textiles, woodworking, painting and manuscript illumination; students will learn how to use and master traditional materials and methods and courses will be structured to suit all levels of skill and experience.

The centre will draw on Pakistani artistic traditions and cultural heritage, aiming to revive skills and techniques, revitalising the traditional arts relevance in contemporary Pakistan.

Initially, courses in Karachi will be taught by visiting tutors from The Prince’s School but, from the beginning, a local team of Pakistani tutors will be trained to lead the programme as it matures.

Later on, the centre will offer year-long training to help people develop their skills.

Asif Rangoonwala, the Chairman of the VM Trust of Education expressed how proud he is to bring The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts to Pakistan.

He remarked that the collaboration will help a great deal in terms of facilitating familirisation with community, training teachers and promoting arts and culture heritage in Pakistan and in the preservation of arts.

The first workshop in Karachi will be held during October 2017 with courses taught by visiting experts from The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts.