LAHORE, November 07 2024: As Pakistan grapples with escalating environmental challenges, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has partnered with the Lahore Biennale’s Climate Congress to host a series of thought-provoking events centred around climate awareness and advocacy. Taking place from November 6-8, 2024, this collaboration seeks to inspire a collective response to pressing ecological issues, with a focus on urban ecologies, climate narratives, and the power of artistic expression.
The event series began with the opening of an art exhibition, Lamenting the Beloved City or Pledging Devotion Afresh?, a collateral event of Lahore Biennale 03 (Of Mountains and Seas). Curated by Dr. Nadhra Shahbaz Naeem Khan, Associate Professor at LUMS, the exhibit features 19 artists whose works serve as a call to action against environmental degradation. Dr Khan, encapsulating the event’s spirit, shared an excerpt from her poem: “I may be a single drop, together we become an ocean; I may be a solitary fighter, together we can advance as victors!” This powerful line underscores the collective strength needed to address the climate crisis.
The exhibition includes an interactive pledge wall where visitors are encouraged to commit to personal climate actions, fostering individual responsibility alongside communal dialogue.
The series also included panel discussions, starting with Urban Ecologies: Infrastructures and Lived Realities, led by Dr. Maryam Ibrahim, Assistant Professor at LUMS. Experts explored the intersections between urban infrastructure and environmental resilience, highlighting Lahore’s evolving urban landscape. Panellists, including urban ethnographer Dr Amen Jaffer and sociologist Drs. Ameem Lutfi and Nosheen Zaidi, presented research on water mapping and social networks in urban spaces, while writer Aneeqa Wattoo discussed the relationship between gender and urban environments.
The event will conclude with a final panel on November 8 titled Climate Narratives: Storytelling, Advocacy and Environmental Justice, which will bring together experts such as Dr. Saba Pirzadeh, environmental lawyer Ahmad Rafay Alam, and Dr. Fazilda Nabeel to discuss South Asian climate fiction, the urgency of advocacy, and practical steps for climate resilience.
Reflecting on the university’s role in addressing climate change, Dr. Ali Cheema, Vice Chancellor of LUMS, stated, “Our role extends beyond advancing research; we aim to foster debate by engaging diverse perspectives, reaching broader audiences, and inspiring action. Events like these illustrate how art and the humanities deepen our understanding of ourselves and our ecosystem, underscoring the importance of diverse knowledge in shaping discourse and action.”
This collaboration underscores the importance of interdisciplinary and artistic approaches in tackling climate change, especially within Pakistan and the Global South, where environmental vulnerabilities are acute. Through this series, LUMS and the Lahore Biennale are empowering communities to reflect on their role in mitigating environmental risks and encouraging a shared commitment to a more sustainable future.
