Cultural Preservation

We aim at working for poverty alleviation in order to develop a sustainable environment. It emphasizes on women empowerment and youth development that promises to have a great impact at National level.

People pursue artistic and creative expressions through a variety of ways for instance; theatrical performances, sculptures, paintings, as well as arts, music, food festivals and celebrations. Together, these tangible, intangible artistic and cultural activities shape up the community’s cultural values.

These activities which encompass a diverse set of creators and critics are essential to any community’s wellbeing and its economic and cultural vitality. At SSDF, we are proud not only to provide an appropriate platform to all stakeholders but also for engaging them to work collaboratively for showcasing our rich and fascinating artistic abilities.

We have focused on the following areas in order to magnify the potential gains from preserving, supporting and promoting our enriched culture:

• Tolerance
• Reviving Lahore’s heritage
• Presenting Softer Image of Pakistan

Tolerance:

• Celebrating ‘Besakhi’ to acknowledge the regional Punjabi rural traditions
• Events on ‘Sufism’ to reinforce the message of peace, love and tolerance
• Augmenting the contemporary ‘Truck Art’ on the ramp as well as on interior design motives
• Presenting the fusion of fashion & design for promoting ‘Ralli’, which is the traditional fabric design of interior Sind
• Promoting the music, food and garments of Gilgit Baltistan through the stage of ‘Safar e Balaad’ (the Creative journey)
• Joint activities with Lahore Chamber of Commerce to conduct a dialogue with stage performances on ‘Hamara Aaj, Culture aur Art’ (Our Present, Culture & Art) in Alhamra Arts Council

Reviving Lahore:

Cultural diversity and learning about other cultures helps us understand different perspectives within the world in which we live. Lahore has always been rich with cultures keeping this in view SSDF has been working for a long time bringing youth like:

• Lahore Sightseeing
• Tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz
• Legends of Pakistan
• Daal work on a Mural

Softer Image:

For Country’s poverty alleviation SSDF has rendered the less privileged people with a platform of reflecting their attributes and through its vocational trainings; youth has acquired the skillset that has given them more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. We wish to present the world the fascinating, artistic and creative side of Pakistan and this we do by sharing the stage with like-minded individuals, artists, singers, musicians, art lovers, painters, dancers, photographers, story tellers, drama and performing artists, social activists, videographers, mime performers, designers and craft persons.

Various forms of explicit art are also used, other than performing arts to flourish the notion, including the following:

• Showcasing the amazing Pakistani Hand embroidery skills at the Lok Virsa Museum
• Various Street Art competitions and participation of amateur young artists’ work displayed for general public in streets and roads of Lahore
• Working with the Aga Khan Youth & Sports board for giving opportunity to the very talented young artists from Gilgit Baltistan
• Ceramic which is one creative form of art is also encouraged to draw the unique architecture and craft of the part of world we share