DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION OF CULTURES, FESTIVALS RELIGIOUS AND HEALTH ACTIVITIES ACROSS KHYBER-PAKHTUNKHWA

After the 18th Amendment in the constitution of Pakistan, the responsibilities of managing the administrative and social aspects of arts and culture have almost entirely shifted to the provinces. The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took full responsibilities of the promotion and development of art and culture in the form of providing centralized structure i-e Directorate of Culture (DoC) under dedicated provincial ministry. However there was always a gap in the form of a guiding and comprehensive document for streamlining the matters related to indigenous cultural heritage and adopting a consolidated, professional and calculative approach for solving the prevailing challenges and issues of culture sector. Keeping in view the diversity of Cultural heritage in the province, it is always important to create an environment of mutual respect towards cultural differences and equal opportunities to avoid conflicts by opening prospects for creativity, promotion and harmony. This policy identifies the need of safeguarding culture as well as rights of those involved in the sector, from home or otherwise, by providing equal opportunities in development as well as recognition and acknowledgment. The development of this policy will bring in line this sector with the rest of the sectors, provincial and national, i-e education, health, transport, energy and other sectors in the form of a considered and practical approach for our genuine cultural identification. There are global challenges, in the form of cultural invasions, which potentially increases the threats of conflicts resulting the need for developing of a complete and thought out document for promotion of inter cultural dialogue and building of a peaceful, durable and sustaining environment. Cultural policy, therefore, underlines a holistic framework that provides meaning and context to different cultural products with an effort to create closer connectivity between inhabitants of this province for cherishing, pride, respect and mutual sustainable development.