Open Heritage Week 2019, a cultural event initiative of the European Union Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), began at Lalkuthi (Northbrook Hall) yesterday at 10:30am.
Open Heritage Week is jointly being organized by EUNIC Bangladesh, Alliance Française de Dhaka, British Council Bangladesh, Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, EU Delegation, Embassy of Spain, Dhaka South City Corporation, Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts, and Institute of Architects Bangladesh.
Through this event the organizers aim to create an awareness and reimagination of Dhaka city for coming generations in Bangladesh. It involves visiting heritage buildings, exhibitions, performances, open forum, workshops, and lectures on architectural heritage at the seven venues of the event at the British Council, Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, Institute of Architects Bangladesh, Beauty Boarding, Lalkuthi, and the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA) in Old Dhaka’s Wise Ghat Road.
Advocating for an Open Heritage Week in Bangladesh follows the observation that many cultural heritage sites are already well preserved and accessible as national monuments. Nonetheless, there is much beyond these grand sites that are normally not open to the public. As such, EUNIC wanted to take this initiative which aims to open everyday life heritage places around the city that often go disregarded and are under continuous threat of disappearance for their real estate value. EUNIC aims to bring government and non government organizations together, for a preserved and accessible cultural heritage.
The first day of the event began with an inauguration ceremony yesterday at 10:30am at Lalkuthi (Northbrook Hall). The ceremony was followed by a walk to Beauty Boarding and BAFA. The first day ended with the exhibition Recalling, being held simultaneously at all three venues mentioned above till 8pm. The exhibition will continue at the same venues till 8pm today as well.
Today at Institute of Architects Bangladesh, Agargaon, open forum Conservation of Built Heritage in Old Dhaka: Opportunities and Challenges, will start at 6pm.
The Recalling exhibition will officially end on Sunday. On Monday there will be an open lecture on Old Dhaka and its heritage at the British Council, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
On Tuesday, there will be a digital photography exhibition at the British Council from 10am to 4pm. Another such exhibition will be on from 3pm to 6:30pm at the Goethe-Institut on the same day. Both these exhibitions will be open for viewing till Friday 13, day eight of the event. Tuesday 5:30pm, there will be another exhibition at the Alliance Française, Tales of Old Dhaka by Joloj. This exhibition will be open every day from 3pm to 9pm till day eight of the event. On December 14, day nine of the festival, this exhibition will be open from 9am to 12pm.
The closing ceremony of the entire event will be held from 5:30pm to 7pm at BAFA on December 15. The event will be followed by a presentation of Qawwali songs.
