We want to congratulate to Winning Entry and the top five entries of the international Bamiyan Cultural Centre competition in Afghanistan, and, we acknowledge just how proud we are to be able to participate in this competition. In the coming months we will release… the images and ideas behind our entry to competition. Please subscribe to see our scheme, and the ideas that make architecture a felt reality that can influence positive change.
Presented to you here are the competition details only:
UNESCO’s mandate is to contribute in the areas of education, science, and culture for the purpose of promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. With the implementation of each of its projects, UNESCO is helping to rebuild and bring sustainable development to the Afghan nation.
The Bamiyan Cultural Centre will be a cornerstone in efforts to preserve culture, promote research and build community around culture, in order to build cohesion in a fractured cultural context. The Centre will provide space for archaeological and ethnographic artefacts from across the country and serve as a multi-purpose state-of-the art cultural complex and research facility. The building will provide adaptable space that can be used for variety of culture-related purposes, ultimately benefiting many stakeholders across a wide demographic.
Mission Concepts:
- Enrich community life through a variety of programs and cultural events, such as festivals, films, drama, music, dance, etc., in ways that reflect the culture of the region, disseminate culture information, and raise awareness about cultural heritage.
- Provide a venue and organize cultural, educational and recreational programs in order for the public to learn and appreciate different facets of Afghanistan’s heritage, history and cultural context.
- Foster and cultivate cultural exchange between different ethnic groups in Afghanistan to contribute meaningfully to the spirit of multiculturalism.
- Promote the creation, performance and appreciation of the arts by coordinating arts advocacy.
- Serve the community by establishing, maintaining and operating a unique facility, and provide services that contribute to the vitality of the community.
- Serve the democratic society by providing a public space for civil society.
After a long period of turmoil, Afghanistan is beginning its second decade of democratic governance. The emerging government has had to manage ongoing instability while taking steps to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, which has been devastated by over 30 years of conflict and neglect. Further exacerbating these rebuilding challenges is the geographic isolation and limited access to resources of some parts of the country.
While the rehabilitation process in Afghanistan typically focuses on infrastructure, rebuilding can also advance the goal of national unity by promoting positive public discourse and cross-cultural understanding. As a result, ethnic diversity can be seen as a collective benefit, rather than a source of fragmentation and conflict.
To this end, UNESCO and the Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan, with the generous financial support of the Republic of Korea, are implementing a project to build the Bamiyan Cultural Centre. The Centre will be located near the boundary of the World Heritage property, the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley. The purpose of the project is to promote heritage safe-guarding and cross-cultural awareness, and thereby contribute to the broader aims of reconciliation, peace-building and economic development in the country.
Link to website The Bamiyan Cultural Centre Design Competition
