LAHORE – US Ambassador Donald Blome inaugurated a US government-funded preservation project at the Lahore Fort during his most recent visit to Lahore.
With a grant of $982,500 from the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), seven sites at the Fort will be restored, including the famous picture wall, Loh Temple, Sikh temple, Zanana Mosque, Sehdara pavilion, Athdara pavilion, and technical work at the grand Sheesh Mahal.
“The US Mission is proud to partner with the Walled City of Lahore Authority and the Aga Khan Cultural Service-Pakistan for the preservation of the magnificent Lahore Fort. The Fort symbolizes the rich cultural, historical, and religious heritage and diversity of Lahore, Punjab, and Pakistan.” said Ambassador Blome.
Founded in 2001, AFCP preserves historical and cultural treasures under threat from environmental pressure or lack of resources. In that time, AFCP has funded more than 1000 projects in 133 countries, including 32 cultural preservation projects across Pakistan at a total of $7.6 million. The restored sites include Buddhist monasteries, Hindu monuments, Sufi shrines, and relics of the Mughal empire.
Ambassador Blome also expressed gratitude to the Aga Khan Cultural Service-Pakistan for its restoration efforts.
While touring the seven sites at the Lahore Fort, the ambassador paid respect to Pakistan’s cultural heritage, commenting that these projects are a testament of the US and Pakistan’s joint commitment to cultural preservation. The United States and Pakistan recently celebrated 75 years of bilateral ties and share a partnership based on common goals, people-to-people exchanges, and mutual interests. This restoration project will strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries and encourage economic growth and tourism.
“This US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation project goes beyond stones and mortar. It is an investment in a stronger, more prosperous Pakistan. Preservation work strengthens communities, builds a sense of belonging, contributes to economic development, and educates future generations about the tremendous heritage of diversity and tolerance that has existed here for centuries,” said Ambassador Blome.
Ambassador Blome also visited the Lahore Museum, Pakistan’s largest repository of cultural and historical artifacts and the Zamzama cannon.
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