Logic is Variable

This article appeared in monthly Techno Biz Magazine Sep-Oct 2010 issue

Underwater laboratories and Space Stations

Challenge for Planners and Scientists

Affects on materialistic thinking and the architecture

Changes in the technical centralized Infrastructure

Influences on social life

not:Either-Or, rather:Both-And....

Events in the research project On the Earth take place outside of the earth. But this is of course theory, but the fact is, that future movements away from earth will nonetheless influence life on earth.

The support for the implementation of environment-friendly techniques in the rural areas was carried out through on-site lectures, in the NGO’s and educational institutions, through experimental workshops and product manufacturing and local sales. The idea, to operate independent of the central technical infra-structure (electricity), was demonstrated in practice and shown, that not only lighting, but also other usages, like charging a cell-phone battery etc. are possible. By activating volunteers outside of the project and generating interest of foreigners in the project countries, a sort of “soft” tourism was created. The PHP provided valuable help in the realization of such ideas.

The closure of Pakistan House Potsdam, the existence of which could only be successful through volunteers, does not mean an end to the work, but a further development, because the basis has been created, the people in the NGO’s have been trained and they are operating more or less rather independently since quite a long time.

The DGFK, which initiated and supported cultural-development projects is functioning as the organizational basis since 1973. As a further step, a gallery was opened as a place for events, followed by a publishing house, Audio and Video studio, whereas the scientific technical work was carried out by a small institute. Due to technological developments in communication and information, we were able to make presentations not only in Berlin, but also outside the West-Germany of that time. The DGFK opened to foreign project work practically in 1990, which reached a new level with the Pakistan project and led to the establishment of the Pakistan House Potsdam - without the initiators acting in the usual strategic form.

In 1997, Bonn was still the federal capital, an idea formed under the auspices of the German-Pakistan Forum and the Embassy of Pakistan for establishing an Honorary Consulate for the new (eastern) provinces. Potsdam, the provincial capital of the province of Brandenburg, appeared to be good location, also due to its nearness to Berlin, which was to become the federal capital.

The preparations for transfer began in 1999.The work in the “Project House“ was taken up in 2000 and, since no reaction was forthcoming from the Pakistan side, the Pakistan House Potsdam was inaugurated in 2001 by Pakistani ambassador at that time.

Through the EXPO2000 exposition, the centre received a 250 years old wooden door from the Punjab, which is installed in the yard of the Pakistan House Potsdam and serves since inauguration as an attractive backdrop for visitors and guests of all types while at the same time creating a special atmosphere.

As the idea of the Pakistani village development project expanded, other projects were also processed from here for Cameroun, Columbia, Iceland etc. The work consisted of preparing honorary workers and volunteers for deployment in the projects, as well as supplementary discussions about improvement in the work and information for the interested public. Lectures were delivered here but also at other places. The nearness to the embassy made a good co-operation possible, - a large number of Pakistani visitors to Potsdam found hospitality here at a cup of tea: Ministers, Ambassadors, Officers of various foundations, members of the military academy, journalists, students, etc. found it to be a comfortable place not only on the annual Pakistan-Day. Whenever the Pakistan Embassy arranged a cultural presentation, the PHP was always its partner (for example House of Cultures of the World, Import-Shop, Q-Damm Mile, Festival of Nations).

Due to very different time zones in the project countries (Pakistan 3-4 hours till Columbia 6-7 hours) the office timings extended from 6-o-clock in the morning to mid-night, which were attended by volunteers. This led soon to limiting the visitors traffic to agreed timings but intensive dealing. Guests from Australia and New-Zeeland, from Japan, India, of-course from Pakistan, Israel, from Europe (including Iceland), various African and American countries found a home here in the beautiful old city of Potsdam, near to the Brandenburger Tor and the Castle Park of Sansouci.

A documentary film festival was initiated in the old Stadthaus in 2005 with the help of a volunteer Globians. The Future is in the Rural Areas, was the main theme, which indicated that the projects were and are carried out in the rural areas. The work which had originally begun in the “Developing Countries” now expanded in a curve to places like Israel’s Negev-Desert and to Iceland’s Westfjorden and into Brandenburg, so that from 2007 training also for selected locals was offered Tuesdays till Fridays from 8 till 12-o-clock.

Since 1999 the Pakistan House Potsdam has also been a basis for events for a certain segment of population. Although the Pakistani village project was projected strongly in the EXPO2000 exposition in Hannover due its selection among the world-wide projects, but gradually other projects with their handicrafts found their way to museums: Ethnological Museum Dahlem, Rautenstrauch-Jost-Museum in Cologne, Voelkerkundemuseum in Hamburg, Linden-Museum in Stuttgart, Grassi-Museum in Leipzig, Voelkerkundemuseum in Vienna.

An important aspect in the project work was the development of income generating measures for the participants in the project countries. Connected to the activities from the art promotion period of the 80’s was a large and successful exhibition of an artist from the Negev.

Over the years, members of the project NGO’s were offered training in special training sessions, the availability of boarding and lodging facilities made it possible to react quickly, -all this was possible only with the selfless support of one helper as well as the consistent efforts of the head-volunteer Dr Senta Siller.

Over 35 years of cultural work is not important, but the fact that it was carried out with private resources. Once young volunteers have become older over the years and it is often asked in e-mails, whether the long, partly very tiresome efforts can be properly documented at-least in an archive. Since such work can also be done only on an honorary basis, the prospects are not gloomy but it can only be done step by step. The beginning here has already been made and it was relatively easy because the DGFK has already been using the Internet facility since 1995. DGFK-News, Indus, Sanagar. Rio Magdalena, Hekla - these periodicals appear quarterly and they are bound into the archive. Similarly and as far as available, the descriptions in the Berliner Kunstblatt and other publications, so that one can gather that the basis for a certain form of cultural work has been accomplished.

Goodbye to Pakistan House Potsdam – it is another step in the life of a project and not its end.

Related: Volunteers who have been at the door of Pakistan House in Potsdam

See how I got PageRank increase on May 3, 2012

Saleem Shahab

Lahore once called “the Paris of the east” still stays at the summit of excellence owing to reasons more than one. In retrospect, its lavish culture, salubrious climes, fertile lands and to crown it all, its open-minded inhabitants made it an apple of all eyes across the board. From John Milton to Krishan Chander one can find the aficionados of Lahore all over the world. John Milton (1608-74) bracketed Lahore with the finest cities of the world in his renowned book titled Paradise Lost. He says in book 10:

The present day Lahore is a three-in-one city. That is why, when one visits Lahore; to tell the truth, one finds three different cities - each distinguished from other in one way or other. The old city -existed for at least a thousand years- developed in and around circular road. Similarly, the British built Lahore covers the area from Mayo Hospital to the Canal Bank on the east. Unquestionably, third Lahore which includes various posh localities such as Bahria Town, Defence Housing Authorities along with several others developed after the partition.

A legend tells Lahore was named after Lava, son of the Hindu god Rama, who purportedly founded the city. However, the recorded history of Lahore does not cover more than some thousands years. Since its establishment, various nations such as the Greek, the Persian, the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh and the British contributed in the splendor as well as spoliation of the city.

Under Muslim rule, stretching from 1021 to 1756, the city became a cultural and academic center, renowned for almost every form of art and culture. By the time, the Khiljis, the Tughlaqs, the Sayyid, the Lodhis, the Suris and the Mugals ruled this pearl of Punjab. Lahore touched the peak of architectural brilliance during the rule of the Mughals, whose buildings and gardens survived the hazards of time. From 1584 to 1598, the city served as capital of Mughal emperor Akbar.

The great Mughals took keen interest in the development and improvement of the city. Lahore Fort was built during the reign of Akbar. Mughal emperor Jahangir, buried in the city, also added a small number of buildings within the fort. Shah Jahan not only extended the Lahore Fort, also he built many other buildings in the city, including the Shalimar Gardens. The city's most famous monuments such as Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri gate were built during the reign of Aurangzeb. After the fall of the Mughals the city suffered the rule of the Sikhs for 90 years. In 1849, the British cast out the Sikhs from Lahore and continued their rule for next 98 years. During their reign, they gave Lahore a new face by constructing buildings of the GPO, the YMCA, the High Court, the Government College University, the museums, the National College of Arts, the Montgomery Hall, th4 Tollinton Market, the University of the Punjab (Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly. One can find a combination of Mughal, Gothic and Victorian styles in their construction. Now Lahore is in the process of rebuilding with the help of United Nations’ assistance.

At present, Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan and the provincial capital of Pakistan’s largest province. Owing to its geographic location, Lahore has always been a center of all eyes in one way or other. Since 1889, Punjab University is quenching the thirst for knowledge of the students from all over the country. Shady groves and green carpets of Shalamar Gardens, Jehangir's Tomb, the Jinnah Gardens, the Jallo Park, the lqbal Park and Changa Manga Forests provide the pleasure to a visitor beyond imagination.

Lahore has also been called a city of saints. The people from all over the country whenever visit Lahore, like to visit the shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh, the patron saint of Lahore. A tourist can not help admire the city’s new landscape that has emerged during the past sixty years — modern buildings, five-star hotels, shopping plazas, broad avenues and boulevards in the uptown accommodations of Gulberg and Defense. An ancient Punjabi saying states, “One who has not seen Lahore, hasn’t been born. Bazaars and market places in the Lahore are unmistakably fêted - the Kashmiri, Suha, Chatta, Dabbi, Anarkali of the old city, and Liberty and Gulberg main market in modern Lahore. The present day Lahore is a place where a high-tech society is stemming from the lap of an ancient culture.

Pakistani flood survivors look out from their make-shift tent after fleeing their village in Sajawal, Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis fled floodwaters after the Indus River smashed through levees. Time photo of the week