On 21 May, a representative team from institute of Architects Bangladesh ( IAB ) led by Ar. Mohammed Ziaul Sharif , Secretary - Heritage & Culture, convened a meeting at the UNESCO Dhaka Office. This face-to-face interaction marked a significant progression for finalising the previous virtual meeting, setting the stage for deeper collaboration and mutual understanding between IAB and UNESCO.
Architect Tahajibul Hossain, Architect Imamur Hossain, Architect Tasnova Iqbal were present in the representative team from IAB . On the UNESCO , Kizzy Tahnin, Programme Officer for Culture, and Bipasha Tripura, Junior Consultant for the Culture Programme at the UNESCO Dhaka Office, participated.
During this engagement, IAB shared their plans to partner with UNESCO in advocacy and awareness campaigns aimed at safeguarding and promoting architectural heritage among the architect community & the society people . The discussion underscored the potential for capacity-building activities, with IAB proposing that UNESCO assist in organising training and workshop sessions on conservation techniques. These sessions would target architects and would also focus on heritage interpretation, site management and traditional conservation methods.
The conversation also delved into exploring UNESCO’s operational guidelines for world heritage sites and lessons from it that it could provide to inform and inspire architects dedicated to heritage conservation. This mutual enthusiasm and shared vision promised a fruitful and impactful alliance, dedicated to preserving and valuing Bangladesh's rich cultural heritage. Both parties recognised the value of these initiatives in enhancing the skills and knowledge of architects in this specialised field.
