December 13, 2014, the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) hosted an excursion for its trustees and a large group of students, enthusiasts, architects, and media personnel to the Ranikot Fort, fondly known as the ‘Great Wall of Sindh’. Since January 2014, EFT has carried out a significant emergency restoration works on the fortification walls of the Shahper Gate and Mirikot. The excursion served as a valuable opportunity for our efforts to be evaluated by independent observers. EFT has always encouraged participatory planning and the involvement of the wider community in its conservation efforts. It invited comments and suggestions for any improvement after giving them a detailed, on-site tour of the work that was carried out over the course of the year.
These detailed tours carried out by EFT Trustees, Jahangir Siddiqui, Chairman, Mazhar-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Trustee, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Trustee, Dr. Nilofer Shaikh, Trustee, Faheem-uz-Zaman, Trustee, Kazi Mukhtiar, Head of Archaeology, University of Sindh, conservators and researchers Mohanlal, Badr Abro and Ishtiaq Ansari were greatly appreciated by the specialists who joined EFT on the visit; architects and conservators included Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Tariq Qaisar, Arif Bilgrami, Zain Mustafa and Marvi Mazhar. Researchers and academics included Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari.
It was heartening to see the active participation and enthusiasm of over 50 students from the NED University of Engineering and Technology and the Sindh University, Jamshoro, whose budding architects, engineers and archaeologists actively participated in the discussion.