It is a great pleasure for us to announce that we have received the news of another publication *, u.z. by Ulrike Vestring, who lived in Pakistan for six years as the wife of the ambassador at the time, until 1994, where she also visited Senta Siller at the village project and stayed overnight. At that time it was not a problem for ambassadors to go to the country unprotected to really get to know the country and its people
U. Vestring also published in Women in Pakistan (1996), as well as in Dolls, Toys and More (2012).
Among others you will find a lovely story on p.149-156: Rani from Thatta Ghulamka
Sadly, although our blog has existed since January 2004, and in the years before that there were always newspaper reports and interviews by our volunteers in the local press, but we have not heard anything from Werner Schroeder, who was with us in the project around the year 2000 and helped develop doll shoes with the project initiator Dr Senta Siller - we have not heard from him since a long time!
Therefore, we were very pleased to receive information from our partners in the DGFK about a book publication by him:
From Lahore to Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka in the fertile five-river province of Pakistan,
and then from Lahore via Rawalpindi and Islamabad into the to the Himalayas.
The text is written in German, but we found ourselves the rich illustrations and hope to translate the work into English with the help of our friends in Pakistan.
Indeed we are very pleased that our former foreign volunteers found inspiration and hospitality at the project and that they have made valuable contributions through essays, novels, films and research projects, the project has even inspired artists.
Our village, with around 1000 inhabitants, has acted as an ambassador for Pakistan not only locally, regionally and nationally, but also internationally in exhibitions and museums through the Doll Project initiated by Dr. Senta Siller.
We are truly grateful to all our friends and helpers, above all Dr Senta Siller, and also hope for a good future for the Senta Siller Design Center (SSDC).
Am 30/31 Mai und am 1 Juni 2020 in der Zeit von 11-19 Uhr zeige ich neue Skulpturen die als Resultat meiner Arbeit und Studienreisen durch 5Länder auf 3 Kontinenten in 8 Monaten gesehen werden können. Außerdem zeige ich die Arbeiten aus Holz/Stein/Metall und Papier die während der Arbeit und Studienreise2019 entstanden sind auf meinen Arbeitsplatz in der Messiger Str.23 in 17111 Sommersdorf !!!
Ich freue mich auf jeden Neugierigen und Interessierten Besucher. Bitte beachtet die geltenden Bestimmungen wegen der Coronasituation !!
For the 30/31 May and 1 Juni 2020 from the 11am -7pm its the Day of open Studios Iam to show from new sculpture and works from my Work and Studien visits of 5 Contrys from 3 Continents and 8 Months from 2019.
The Show its of my Workplace of the Messiger Street 23 from 17111 Sommersdorf. Please to respect the Regulations of the Pandemie !!!!
Once again the opportunity arose that Prof. Aamir Rafique (Punjab University)
and Prof. Norbert Pintsch arranged for a visit by Pakistani students from Punjab
University on 6th March 2020 to the flagship project in TGD, which was started
by Dr. Senta Siller. Unfortunately the visit could not take place because the weather
worsened and the trip had to be called off due to heavy rain. The trip will now
take place soon on another suitable date. It is also planned to show the students
the newest efforts in the project by the volunteer Monika and also to visit the
Deputy Commissioner of Okara and to inform him about the new developments
in the village project.
The personal presence of Mr. Amjad Ali, president of the project, in the village has
also been very beneficial for the AFA (NGO) in promoting their various activities.
In order to support the local initiative, it is very important to promote contact between the friends of the project in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Prof Norbert Pintsch agreed to support all efforts in this regard. Furthermore, various efforts are needed to improve the support of various local organizations, e.g. SPARC in Pakistan, with the DGFK. That means to promote the internet dialogue, e.g. between SPARC and their partners in the FPAC, and the DGFK, but also to make suitable publications available in the national libraries.
At the end of the program, a corresponding publication with ISBN registration was published, which is now available to all participants in Pakistan, Cameroon, Colombia and Germany.
Friends of Thatta Kedona and residents of Dolls Village are very well familiar with Peter Hecht - an artist who was in the village in March and April 2019. Morals he helped create in the village are still there (also can be seen here). Detailed report about Hecht Art can be viewed here.
Since mid January 2020 our village TGD has its own special Vegetable Garden. We have planted different seeds, including coriander, white radish, carrots, green chilli, spinach and turnip in the lawn surrounding village Water Pump House. It will ensure food self-sufficiency and food security for the inhabitants of our village Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka (District Okara, Punjab, Pakistan).
There is another big success and a milestone for our village NGO Anjuman-e-Falah-e-Aama (AFA). There was HAPPINESS all around, when the Water Pump House in our village opened its doors on the first day of the new year 2020. It was as if all the families were just waiting for this fresh, pure and clean drinking water facility. We are charging just one rupee per liter to cover the electricity bills and other costs. Thanks Almighty!
