Dr. Senta Siller and Professor Dr. Norbert Pintsch in Pakistan
Friday, April 10, 2026
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Germany, Pakistan, TDAP, UNESCO
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:25 AM,
,
UO pays tribute to Dr Senta Siller’s services
Sunday, April 5, 2026
In recognition of the German artist and academician Dr Senta Siller’s services for women empowerment, gender mainstreaming and female entrepreneurship, a seminar was organized by the Directorate of External Linkages and Directorate of Public Relations at the University of Okara where the Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Sajjad Mubin, and various member of Okara’s civil society paid tribute to Dr Siller who is currently visiting Pakistan along with her husband, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch. A large number of faculty members and students from the Weekend Program participated in the event.
Prof Mubin announced to name the under-construction girls hostel at the campus after Dr Siller. Amjad Ali, a correspondent of the German broadcasting service and an academician, briefed about the project “Thatta Kedona”, initiated by Dr Siller in 1990s. He told how the project had empowered thousands of village women and changed the socio-economic dynamics of the village.
Dr Siller, in her keynote address, explained the factors that led to her motivation of investing her energies for the project. Dr Pintsch told the journey of Dr Siller. The other speakers included a Aslam Tahir ul Qadri, a renowned social worker from Okara, and Chaudary Maqsood Ahmed Jutt, a representative of various agricultural bodies of Pakistan.
.jfif)
The event was moderated by the Deputy Director (Press, Media & Publications) at the UO, Sharjeel Ahmed.
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Okara, Thatta Kedona, Tribute, University of Okara
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:51 PM,
,
Thatta Kedona in the University of Okara
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Okara, Thatta Kedona, Tribute, University of Okara
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 4:47 PM,
,
Where Dolls Speak and Cultures Embrace - A Tribute to Humanity Through Art
In a world often divided by borders, languages, and histories, moments of cultural convergence become rare and precious. One such moment is set to unfold in Lahore, where art, memory, and human connection will intertwine in a deeply meaningful gathering at the prestigious Mozart Haus Lahore.
The Pakistan-Austria Friendship Society, Mozart Haus, Model Town, led by President Aamir Rafique and its Executive Committee, will host an evocative tribute in honor of Dr. Senta Siller - a distinguished personality celebrated as “Sitara-e-Pakistan” and affectionately known as the “Mother of Dolls.” This event is not merely ceremonial; it is a philosophical reflection on the power of art to transcend the visible and speak to the unseen threads of human unity.
Dr. Siller’s work, centered on the creation and preservation of dolls, may at first seem rooted in simplicity. Yet, beneath this delicate craft lies a profound narrative. Each doll she creates becomes a vessel of identity, tradition, and emotion—an embodiment of cultures that might otherwise fade into silence. Through her hands, dolls are transformed into storytellers, quietly narrating tales of heritage, belonging, and shared humanity.
The symbolism of the doll in Dr. Siller’s artistic philosophy is particularly striking. It represents innocence, continuity, and the universal language of care. In a fragmented world, these creations remind us of a time when connection was instinctive and empathy unspoken. Her work asks an essential question: can art restore the emotional bridges we have lost? And perhaps more importantly, can it remind us of who we truly are?
The venue itself, Mozart Haus, Model Town, stands as a beacon of cross-cultural dialogue, embodying the enduring friendship between Pakistan and Austria. This event further strengthens that bond, illustrating how artistic expression can succeed where politics and discourse often falter. It is here that diverse minds—artists, intellectuals, and admirers—will gather not just to honor a woman, but to celebrate a philosophy rooted in compassion and creativity.
Scheduled evening promises to be a confluence of reflection and admiration. Distinguished guests from various walks of life are expected to attend, each bringing with them their own interpretations of art, identity, and cultural belonging.
In essence, this tribute to Dr. Senta Siller is more than an acknowledgment of her achievements—it is a meditation on the enduring power of art. It reminds us that even the simplest forms of expression, when infused with sincerity, can echo across continents and generations.
As the soft light of a Lahore evening descends upon Mozart Haus, one truth will quietly resonate:
Art does not merely imitate life - it heals, connects, and ultimately defines it.
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Germany, Pakistan, Tribute
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:59 AM,
,
Thatta Kedona is more than dolls and toys
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
When the article "German Connection" by Asgher Javed appeared in Nation, Sunday Plus, April 27, 2008, p. 14, readers were probably unaware of the connections between the three women in the village project; among other things, Ruth Pfau had a connection to Mango-Pir near Karachi with the workshop for leprosy patients there, and Annemarie Schimmel had a connection to TGD because of the vibrant local, traditional culture.
In one case, the Ruth Pfau Basic Health Unit was created, and in the other, the Annemarie Schimmel Cultural Complex, where theater performances, film screenings, and village music concerts took place!
Senta Siller's work was not only that of a -researcher (fieldwork in the Five Provinces), -designer (dolls based on village life), -producer (marketable items), -teacher (training village women), -marketing strategist (museums at home and abroad), -networker (Schimmel-Pfau-Kenoyer-Salima Hashmi/Ex-NCA Lahore, DSFestival, Expo 2000, 2005), but she is rightly considered an anthropologist. All of this demonstrates the visibility and awareness of local village culture, bridging the gap between science and culturally informed consumption, while also creating sustainable measures for village women.
Incidentally, village dolls are housed in the Lok Virsa Museum in Islamabad, and thanks to the IWSA Prize, village toys found their way to the Children's Museum in Izmir!
It all began with the production of the film "Amjad's Village," a 24-hour glimpse into village life in TGD. An interesting article by Maqbool Malik, "Planning of a Model Village," was published in Dawn in 1994. Numerous articles by journalists have praised the project, which, through Senta Siller, has received several awards, including one from UNESCO in 2007, recognizing it as the outstanding doll project in South Asia. Ultimately, it's all on the path to UNESCO World Heritage status.
Labels: Amjad Ali, Annemarie Schimmel, BHU, Dr Ruth Pfau, Dr Senta Siller, Germany, Pakistan, TGD, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:08 AM,
,
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.
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
Memories were shared, and posters showcasing Senta's activities were displayed in four rooms, accompanied by refreshments.
The ambassador spoke about Senta's selfless work and honored her achievements with a medal and a certificate.
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,
,
Senta Maria Anna Siller Awarded Sitara-e-Pakistan
Saturday, August 16, 2025
To ensure authenticity, Dr. Siller herself travelled to northern Pakistan to study traditional attire, including that of the Kalash people, believed to be descendants of Alexander the Great’s soldiers. Over time, these handcrafted items were not only showcased in major Pakistani cities but also internationally — particularly in Germany — under the name Thatta Kedona.
The project brought more than just recognition. It offered the village women a steady source of income, enhancing their self-esteem and improving their position in a traditionally patriarchal society. But Dr. Siller’s vision went far beyond dolls. She contributed immensely to the welfare and development of the village. She helped build and furnish the primary school, provided students with free books and stationery, and played a key role in introducing solar power and later connecting the village to the electricity grid. Thanks to her, a proper asphalt road was constructed, connecting the main road to the Women Art Centre, which was later renamed Senta Siller Design Center (SSDC) in her honour. Dr. Siller also initiated a clean drinking water project that serves the entire village. She launched a green initiative, encouraging tree planting and environmental care. Her idea "One Baby, One Tree" provided each newborn’s mother with a fruit tree, encouraging them to nurture the tree as they would their child.
As a symbolic gesture, every doll-maker received a Bougainvillea plant, so that blooming flowers in front of homes would signal to visitors: a doll-maker lives here.
Dr. Siller's efforts transformed Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka — not just in infrastructure, but in spirit. To provide basic healthcare to the people of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka, a village dispensary was established as early as 1992 by Dr. Leila Siller, a medical doctor and the daughter of Dr. Senta Siller. The nearest hospital is five kilometres away, so the dispensary became a lifeline for the local community. Dr. Senta Siller personally supervised and supported the handicrafts project until 2007, before returning to Germany. She left the initiative in the capable hands of a self-organised group of village women, empowering them to run it independently. To this day, she remains in regular contact with them through occasional Zoom conferences, offering guidance on handicrafts and welfare-related matters.
Today, the villagers are overjoyed by the announcement that the Government of Pakistan will honour Dr. Senta Siller with the Sitara-e-Pakistan (also known as Sitara-e-Imtiaz) in recognition of her outstanding service. She will celebrate her 90th birthday this year and is expected to receive the award in person on March 23, 2026.
Previous: Governor Award Conferred Upon Senta Maria Anna Siller
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Germany, Okara, Pakistan, Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:26 AM,
,
Greetings from the International Doll Museum in Flateyri
Monday, October 21, 2024
Our dolls can still be admired.
Dr Senta sorting and placing with volunteer Sabine and Sigga from the museum fund
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, CULTURA e V, DGFK e V Berlin, Dr Senta Siller, Nauen, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:17 AM,
,
Poster Legend BookLets
Thursday, January 11, 2024
The design and format of the catalogs about Senta Siller are based on the catalogs of the former gallery EYLAU'5-Berlin - see www.DGFK-archive.de
The cover photo is a cut-out from a family photo titled Before the Big Trip by D. Eckardt from 1978.
Catalog with an overall overview
35 pages of work examples and 11 pages of photos (At Work – While Inspiring – At Leisure)
2015 first printing
Heikus
Visual implementation of Japanese short poems
60 pages
2020
Compilation
Work highlights of 75 years as a poster
60 pages
2021
AphroMics
A mixture of contemplative texts and minimal sketches
48 pages
2023/24
Material
Nature sketches and material alterations
48 pages
2023/24
Private Moments
Selected documents from the Siller archive
48 pages
2023/24
SSi 88 2022
66 words of greetings from all over the world on Senta Siller's 88th birthday.
Categorized according to 7 decades of creativity (1946-2021) as per SSA.
108 pages
2023
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, Cultura e V Nauen, DGFK e V Berlin, Senta Siller, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:01 AM,
,
Poster legend BLOGS
Thursday, October 19, 2023
PRELIMINARY NOTE
The projects of the initiator S. Siller were reported in quarterly magazines, DIN A4 format, each with a volume of 16, etc. in the DGFK newsletter, Indus River, Sanaga rive, Rio Magdalena, etc.
At the end of 1999 the print publications were discontinued and since the beginning of 2000, the reporting was carried out via an Internet website.
Since this method was not flexible enough, a blog THATTA KEDONA was set up in 2004.
It is said, that everything can be found on the internet. During research however, it was discovered: That's probably not the case! Important reports and representations were lost. As a countermeasure and also in order to minimize the loss of texts and images, the ForZat-RCAT data was transferred from digital back into the analogue.
THATTA KEDONA Blog
Pakistan Project
2004 – 2022
DIN A 4 format
372 pages
HAATC Blog
Cameroon Project
2010 – 2022
DIN A 4 format
148 pages
ELCAMPOMIRANDO blog
Colombia Project
2012 – 2022
DIN A 4 format
58 pages
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, Cultura e V Nauen, DGFK e V Berlin, Senta Siller, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:57 AM,
,
Poster Legend BookLets
The design and format of the catalogs about Senta Siller are based on the the catalogs of the former gallery EYLAU'5-Berlin - see www.DGFK-archive.de
The cover photo is a cut-out from a family photo titled Before the Big Trip by D. Eckardt from 1978.
Catalog with an overall overview
35 pages of work examples and 11 pages of photos (At Work – While Inspiring – At Leisure)
2015 first printing
Heikus
Visual implementation of Japanese short poems
60 pages
2020
Compilation
Work highlights of 75 years as a poster
60 pages
2021
AphroMics
A mixture of contemplative texts and minimal sketches
48 pages
2023/24
Material
Nature sketches and material alterations
48 pages
2023/24
Private Moments
Selected documents from the Siller archive
48 pages
2023/24
SSi 88 2022
66 words of greetings from all over the world on Senta Siller's 88th birthday.
Categorized according to 7 decades of creativity (1946-2021) as per SSA.
108 pages
2023
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, Cultura e V Nauen, DGFK e V Berlin, Senta Siller, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:52 AM,
,
Poster-Legend PUBL
The poster project was created by the circle of Friends of the SSDC in Lahore under the leadership of Prof Aamir Rafique and the SSDC in Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka under the leadership of Amjad Ali, - in close collaboration with the SSA / LGS-Nauen and the ForZat / HVK-Berlin.
For this purpose, around 1000 different tasks from the SSA were recorded in advance and categorized in seven classes. Due to large number of handwritten documents and research material, the reader of the publications would be missing the context without this classification.
A total of five brochures were created:
In the case of Garden dwarfs the documentation is unfortunately missing; The company that produced the garden dwarf has closed its archives and no specific articles were found in the press.
In the case of Al Andalus, appropriate sections from recovered letters were able to be compared with the sketches.
In the case of SSi 88, suitable sequences from friends, employees or clients who had already expired were included from a private collection and linked to current contributions, using the order from the SSA with 7 decades.
In the Marienleben case, water-damaged sketches from the SSA were restored and prepared for publication.
In the case of Three Little Dragons, a private collection was found and text and illustration were combined.
Gnomis Berlin garden guide 1985 on the occasion of the BUGA Federal Garden Show Berlin 1985 In Memoriam Werner Stephan, screenwriter The title character was designed as a basic model by Senta Siller, who also made the illustrations.
Al Andalus 1954
Notes and sketches by Senta Siller
SSi 88 2022
66 greetings from all over the world on Senta Siller's 88th birthday. Assigned towards 7 decades of creativity (1946-2021) according to SSA.
Marienleben 1970
Mirka Yemendzakis performs Hindemith-Rilke
In Memoriam Mirka Dzakis, voice trainer and soprano
sketched by Senta Siller
Three Little Dragons 1968
as told and drawn by Senta Siller
Labels: Aamir Rafique, Amjad Ali, Cultura e V Nauen, DGFK e V Berlin, Senta Siller, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:45 AM,
,
Visit of Amjad Ali and Shenaz in Gross Behnitz project with Senta Siller
Friday, July 28, 2023
 |
Kitchen Garden
 |
.jpg)
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Senta Siller, Kitchen Garden
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 3:12 PM,
,
Book by Amjad Ali
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Read more »
Labels: AFA (NGO), Ali Amjad, Amjad Ali, Books, Deutsche Welle, Norbert Pintsch, Senta Siller, ThattaKedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:02 AM,
,
Information
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Labels: Amjad Ali, Boris Bjoernsteinn, Forschunsg Zentrum For Zat, International Dolls Museum, Michael Stober, Prof Bengyi, Prof Norbert Pintsch, Senta Siller, Senta Siller Archiv, Senta Siller Design Centre
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 2:15 PM,
,
A little about ourselves DGFK-AFA Thatta Kedona
Thursday, February 2, 2023
by Aaron Pinsker and Norbert Pintsch
The DGFK was founded almost fifty years ago. The practical engagement with cultures was implemented in many projects according to a model which used and demonstrated the various interdependencies in culture.
Projects emerged through initiatives, collaborations and activities, initially in Central Europe and after 1990 increasingly in other countries.
From around 2010, we started to collect results and examples into our own (DGFK) archive and assigned them to topics such as interviews, sounds, movies, slide shows, animations, books, posters, etc.
The year 2000 is a turning point in the DGFK, because at the end of 1999 analogue printing of the DGFK newsletter as well as of Indus-River, Sanaga Rivière, Rio Magdalena and Hekla was discontinued.
The reason for this was increasing digitization of media. This also led to increasing depth of the digital information, so that the DGFK established its own website, sponsored by a company, because one of our projects showed pilot character at the EXPO2000 show.
An eShop was installed for selling certain handicraft products from the projects, but ultimately it was abandoned as it did not appear to be suitable for the individually unique items.
In similar manner some websites were also removed because they were no longer necessary or technically obsolete (for example Internet radio projects). But they are stored in the archive and available to interested quarters.
The partner initiatives had their own websites, which were supplemented early on by flexible blogs:
Pakistan:
Kamerun:
Kolumbien:
www.elcampomirando.blogspot.com
Other project partners, some of them no longer active, are:
www.dolls-project.com (Groenland),
www.royalglobage.com (UAE),
ac-criti-project.com (Griechenland),
www.id-museum.com (Island).
With the help of DGFK, partner societies in other project countries were established, such as:
www.sparc-project.blogspot.com (Pakistan),
www.spocabangladesh.blosspot.com (BanglaDesh),
www.spaetcolombia.blogspot.com (Kolumbien),
www.spathcameroon.blogspot.com (Kamerun),
www.spaetcolombia.blogspot.com (Kolumbien),
www.sutolsrilanka.blogspot.com (SriLanka),
www.sodshnepal.blogspot.com (Nepal),
www.semoliceland.blogspot.com (Island),
www.spokupolonia.blogspot.com (Polen).
In the course of time, a plethora of active participants, supporters and partners entered into the projects and their names are duly collected in the DGFK archive or can be found in search engines:
If a name (for example (Karola Groch,Werner Schroeder, Monika Kuppler, Renate Perner,Marlis Bartkiewitz-Schmitt, u.a.)) is associated with a certain activity or a certain support organization, e.g. the SES, it can be found there too.
Some friends of the DGFK have separated and put their work in the context of a company or organization (e.g. Fronzeck, Heckes, Klapper, Polzer, Sauter, Christ, Borgmann, Stober) or chosen an art platform for their efforts. We do have one person, who has selflessly devoted all her energy and efforts towards the benefit of the general public around the globe (Siller).
Labels: Aaron Pinsker, AFA, Amjad Ali, Berlin, DGFK e V, Njini King Caro, Norbert Pintsch, Omar M. Ali, Ricardo Coslez, Senta Siller, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 4:19 PM,
,
Projects in Rural Areas
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Labels: Amjad Ali, Boris Bjoernsteinn, Forschunsg Zentrum For Zat, International Dolls Museum, Michael Stober, Prof Bengyi, Prof Norbert Pintsch, Senta Siller, Senta Siller Archiv, Senta Siller Design Centre
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:13 PM,
,
Honors
Labels: Amjad Ali, Boris Bjoernsteinn, Forschunsg Zentrum For Zat, International Dolls Museum, Michael Stober, Prof Bengyi, Prof Norbert Pintsch, Senta Siller, Senta Siller Archiv, Senta Siller Design Centre
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:11 PM,
,
Appreciations
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Labels: Amjad Ali, Boris Bjoernsteinn, Forschunsg Zentrum For Zat, International Dolls Museum, Michael Stober, Prof Bengyi, Prof Norbert Pintsch, Senta Siller, Senta Siller Archiv, Senta Siller Design Centre
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:14 PM,
,
