Lok Virsa launches website with latest info on activities

The Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage) launched its official website http://www.lokvirsa.org.pk here on Monday.

The launching ceremony was performed by Mr Terje Thodsen, development counsellor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, and Senior Adviser International Affairs Riksantikvaran (Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Oslo) Ms Inger Anne Heldal, by clicking a computer key.

The website provides up-to-date information on Lok Virsa’s activities, programmes and functions as well as its products, including books, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, cultural documentaries, documented dramas and full-length feature films produced by Lok Virsa, including ‘Akhri Geet’ and ‘Rohi Dhoop Jali’. 

The website also provides a virtual tour of the Heritage Museum at Shakarparian with information on almost all creative three-dimensional cultural displays, spreading over an area of 60,000 square feet.

In his opening remarks, Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid Javaid explained the salient features of the website which would make public access easy to all activities and products of Lok Virsa. “The website provides information on history, creation, structure and functioning of Lok Virsa as a representative cultural body in the capital city, having a legal statutory status,” he said.

On the occasion, Khalid Javed thanked the Royal Norwegian Government and its embassy in Islamabad for their generous support to revive most of Lok Virsa’s important programmes and activities which were threatened to be closed due to financial constraints. 

He appreciated the role of the visiting Norwegian delegates Ms Inger Anne Heldal, Ms Inger Jensen and Ms Anne Moberg for supporting Lok Virsa’s activities and functions for the calendar year 2010 under the Joint Institutional Cooperation Programme between Pakistan and Norway.

On a query about the maintenance and updating of the website, the executive director said that Lok Virsa has recently created a full-fledged Public Relations (PR) Section, which is handling special visits, special programmes, protocol and all public related matters in a smooth and efficient manner. “Special arrangement has also been made under the PR Section to ensure that the Lok Virsa website is maintained and updated on a day-to-day basis,” he added.

In their remarks, the Norwegian diplomats highly lauded the efforts of Lok Virsa and its management for bringing about such a vibrant website. They termed it informative, interactive, dynamic and a milestone achievement on the part of Lok Virsa.