UPDATED: 08 Jun 2009 GMT
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U.S. Ambassador Visits Uch Sharif To Mark Completion Of Shrine Conservation
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Uch Sharif, May 22, 2009 -- U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson and U.S. Consulate Lahore Principal Officer Bryan Hunt at the shrine of Hazrat Jalalud Din Surkhposh.
May 22, 2009
Uch Sharif - U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson highlighted the value of preserving Pakistan's "irreplaceable global heritage" during a visit to the shrine of Hazrat Jalaluddin Bukhari marking the completion of a U.S.-funded conservation project.
"It is impossible to stand here and not be awed by the grandeur around me and the spirit of mysticism that envelops the area," said Ambassador Patterson as she was greeted by Secretary Auqaf and Religious Affairs Qazi Afaaq and his team.
A $50,000 grant initiated in October 2007 under the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, supported major repair work of the shrine including the replacement of all decayed wooden columns, beams and tile flooring.
"The exceptional architecture of this 15th century shrine needs to be conserved, not only for the thousands of devotees who visit every year at the time of the Urs, but for future generations," the Ambassador said. Dignitaries and members of the Bahawalpur district administration were also present on the occasion.
A small town located 75 kilometers from Bahawalpur in the Punjab province, Uch commands great reverence as a city of renowned Sufi saints. The domed brick-built shrine is decorated with glazed blue tiles in floral and geometric designs. The structure, including four other similar monuments forming a compound, is included on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
In addition to Uch Sharif, the U.S. Embassy has funded the conservation of several projects in Pakistan including Sirkap Site and Jinnan Wali Dehri in Taxila; Masjid Mahabat Khan and Gor Khuttree, Peshawar; Maan Singh Haveli, Rohtas Fort; Alamgiri Gate, and the bazaar of the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore.
The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, established by Congress in 2001, provides direct grant support to cultural heritage projects around the world. Thus far, the Fund has supported more than 500 projects worldwide, totaling more than $13.4 million.
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