ISLAMABAD: The British Council has launched a new program for cultural organizations and artists in Pakistan, awarding grants of up to £15,000 to address the climate change emergency, aiming to promote sustainable projects and practices within the country, said a statement on Wednesday.
The program is part of an initiative to support climate action by providing grants to South Asian artists and cultural organizations in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, with mentorship sessions offered to selected grantees by UK specialists throughout the project’s course.
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan ranks as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, with its susceptibility to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves, which have significant impacts on agriculture, infrastructure and public health.
“A new initiative from the British Council aimed at supporting climate action in the creative industries in Pakistan is now open for applications,” the statement said on Wednesday. “The Climate Futures: South Asia program is designed to support the arts sector with grants of £15,000 available to artists and cultural organizations.”
The statement added that the program would support artist-led initiatives promoting “knowledge creation” and cultural sector sustainability, designing and implementing capacity-building initiatives, and “optimizing infrastructure to enhance climate change awareness and sustainable approaches within the arts sector.”
The deadline for all applications is November 25 at 4:59 am PST, the statement said, highlighting that successful applicants would have the opportunity to “make a significant impact on the global climate conversation through their projects.”
“We believe that the arts have a crucial role to play in addressing the climate crisis,” British Council Pakistan’s Country Director James Hampson said. “Climate Futures: South Asia is an exciting opportunity for artists and cultural organizations to lead the way and drive forward innovative projects that will inspire change.”
The British Council will also host a series of information sessions on October 8 and 22 to guide applicants through the application process and help them maximize their chances of securing funding.
British Council launches £15,000 grants for Pakistani artists to tackle climate change
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British Council launches £15,000 grants for Pakistani artists to tackle climate change
- Pakistan ranks as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, says the Global Climate Risk Index
- The council’s country director says arts have a crucial role to play in addressing climate crisis
Qatar, Pakistan resolve to boost strategic, economic cooperation at Doha talks
- Both countries urge dialogue on Afghanistan amid renewed border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul
- Discussions focus on bilateral trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
