Stabilization of Mosque & Mapping of Folk Heritage

Pakistan

The Chinar Mosque is located in the Chamtalai village of Swat Valley in Northern Pakistan. The 600-year-old structure is a communally owned “folk” heritage site and is one of many rural community-significant sites that are currently unregistered at a national level. The mosque serves as a space for religious gatherings, community meetings, social gatherings and relaxation. During the winter, the mosque is also used as a safe harbour for the community to escape the extreme cold. Since 2012, CER has worked with Swat Participatory Council (SPC) to support their work on Swat’s folk heritage. With this project, SPC together with the mosque’s heritage community in Chamtalai village, implemented the most urgent construction-conservation works needed to stabilize the collapsing structure. They also adapted the space (adding new electrical infrastructure etc.) so it could meet its current needs. In parallel, the SPC also conducted a mapping and survey mission to record other folk heritage sites in the Malakand district. The survey included an assessment of its current state as well as an overall prioritization of urgent interventions with the input of each site’s various stakeholders.