Pakistan is coming to the list of the fifth most vulnerable countries to climate change claims by the Global Climate Risk Index. The council’s country director claims arts have a most vital role to play in highlighting the climate crisis.
The British Council has decided to initiate to introduce a new project program for cultural organizations and artists in the country of Pakistan awarding grants of up to £15,000 to highlight the climate change emergency focusing on enhancing sustainability projects and practices within the country said a declaration on Wednesday.
The program is considered to be part of an initiative to highly support climate action by delivering grants to South Asian artists and cultural organizations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India with mentorship sessions provided to selected grantees by United Kingdom specialists throughout the project.
Read more: Pakistan Needs $348 Billion For Climate Action
As per the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan ranks as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change with its strong sustainability to extreme weather events like droughts, heat waves, and floods which pose significant impacts on infrastructure, public health, and agriculture.
A new initiative from the British Council focused on supporting climate action in the creative industries in Pakistan is now open for applications. The declaration was passed on Wednesday. The Climate Future South Asian program is specifically built to support the arts sector with the deliverance of grants of £15,000.
The program would support artists-led initiatives enhancing knowledge creation in cultural sectors and sustainability, designing and executing capacity-building initiatives, and optimizing infrastructure to improve especially climate change awareness and sustainability approaches within the arts sector. The deadline for all applications is 25 November. The declaration emphasized that successful applicants would have the opportunity to make a massive impact on the global climate conversation through their projects.
We strongly believe that the arts have a vital role to play in highlighting the climate crisis. British Council Pakistan’s country director James Hampson claimed climate future of South Asia is proven to be an exciting opportunity for artists and cultural organizations to lead the path and drive forward innovative projects like this that will guarantee to bring change.
The British Council is anticipated to host a series of information sessions on the 8th of October and 22 of October to guide applicants via the application process and assist them in maximizing their promised chances of getting funding.