Mitigating Historic Amnesia Through Youth Engagement in the City of Karachi

Abstract

Karachi, a bustling metropolis of Pakistan, was once called a city of lights. It was known for its “cosmopolitan” nature and mercantile temperament. Many business-minded people were settled here establishing their enterprises along with their neighborhoods and communities. British developed it into a modern port and more people got attracted to the newly found business opportunities, city diversified further. With the passage of time and due to the major political shifts in the Indian subcontinent, Karachi began losing its cosmopolitan character especially a sizable religiously diverse population. The rich cultural heritage that was part and parcel of the diverse makeup of a city was gradually pushed into the back and somehow became invisible and forgotten. To reclaim the memory of the city and mitigate this historic amnesia, a project that was designed and conducted with school- and university-going students is presented as a viable method.