Thatta Kedona

Culture is a Basic Need

Dr. Senta Siller Receives the First-Ever Ruth Pfau Medal for a Lifetime of Lifting Pakistan’s Village
Thursday, November 20, 2025

At 90, a German Artist Receives Pakistan’s Highest Tribute for Her Lifelong Service to Its Poorest Village

On 16 November 2025, in the quiet Brandenburg village of Gross Behnitz near Berlin, an extraordinary moment unfolded: Dr. Senta Siller, the celebrated German artist, designer, and humanitarian visionary, was awarded the inaugural Ruth Pfau Medal by Her Excellency Saqlain Syedah, Ambassador of Pakistan to Germany.

The date was no coincidence - it was Dr. Siller’s 90th birthday.

Surrounded by more than sixty family members, friends, and longtime supporters, the ceremony became both a celebration of a remarkable life and a profound recognition of more than thirty-five years of unbroken commitment to one of the most overlooked corners of rural Pakistan: the small village of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka in Okara District, Punjab.

In the presence of loved ones, the Ambassador fastened the newly created Ruth Pfau Medal around Dr. Siller’s neck and presented an official Certificate of Appreciation from the Government of Pakistan. The medal bears the name of the iconic German-Pakistani leprosy crusader Dr. Ruth Pfau (1929–2017), a woman who dedicated her life to the most marginalised. Few could imagine a more fitting first recipient.

For over three decades, Dr. Siller has quietly transformed Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka and surrounding villages through her “Yes, we can do it together!” philosophy. What began with handmade dolls and textile training for women has grown into schools, vocational centres, clean-water systems, women-led cooperatives, and a vibrant embroidery tradition that now sustains hundreds of families and reaches international markets.

She never asked for recognition. She simply kept showing up - year after year, decade after decade - turning creativity into dignity and friendship into lasting development.

As she steps into her 91st year, Dr. Senta Siller’s story reminds us that one determined heart, armed with compassion and imagination, can still change the world — one village, one woman, one child at a time.

Across borders, cultures, and generations, her light continues to shine.

Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr. Sena Siller, German Embassy, Germany, Ruth Pfau, Saqlain Syedah

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:48 AM, ,

Ambassador H.E. Saqlain Syedah honors Dr. Senta Siller on Her 90th Birthday
Monday, November 17, 2025

On the occasion of her 90th birthday

Landgut Stober / GrossBehnitz

On November 16th, a gathering of friends and relatives took place at the Stober estate.

Memories were shared, and posters showcasing Senta's activities were displayed in four rooms, accompanied by refreshments.

Owner Michael Stober, a former student of Senta, opened the gathering and highlighted his special relationship as a foster mother,- the estate also houses the analog Senta Siller Archive.

The ambassador spoke about Senta's selfless work and honored her achievements with a medal and a certificate.

Senta's son, Henri, introduced the relatives, volunteers, and friends in attendance.

Senta's former student, Amjad Ali, who continues her work in the village of Thatta Ghulamkha Dhiroka at the Senta Siller Design Centre, took the opportunity to provide further information.

Previous: Birthday

Labels: Amjad Ali, Birthday, Cultura e V Nauen, DGFK e V Berlin, Dietrich Eckardt, Dr Henri Siller, Dr Senta Siller, H E Saqlain Syedah, Michael Stober, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch

posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:21 AM, ,

Bazaar 2025 in Berlin
Thursday, November 6, 2025

Dr Senta Siller in Discussion with Muhammad Rumman Ahmen from the Pakistan Embassy in Berlin

After 25 years, the Thatta Kedona project is once again present at the Berlin Trade Fair. In 2001, under the auspices of the Pakistan Export Promotion Bureau in Karachi, 12 NGOs were presented, all showcasing handcrafted products. These were compiled by Dr. Siller, who, starting in 1993, developed special handcrafted products—namely dolls—dressed in the traditional clothing of various regions, trained women in rural areas, and intensively supported the village doll project. The aim was to selflessly provide women in rural areas with a family-friendly supplementary income alongside their family and agricultural work.

The project soon led to subsidiary projects (Cameroon, Colombia, among others) and gained recognition through EXPO 2000 in Hanover and Aichi (Japan). The dolls received a UNESCO award and were sold as a special item in Dubai, at the United Nations in New York, and at museum bazaars in Central Europe – always under the motto "unique pieces, not mass-produced" and with the vision: "Preservation of local traditional culture and UNESCO World Heritage..."