German academician’s services for women empowerment hailed
Monday, April 6, 2026
Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Sajjad Mubin and some members of Okara’s civil society paid tribute in recognition of Dr Siller services who is currently visiting Pakistan along with her spouse Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch.
A large number of faculty members and students from the weekend programme participated in the event.
Speaking at the eve, the VC praised Siller’s lifelong services for teaching entrepreneurship skills to the Pakistani women, especially in a small village called Thatta Ghulamka Diroka, situated 30km away from the main city. He said education was the best investment for social and economic development of the society.
Prof Mubin announced to name the under-construction girls hostel at the campus after Dr Siller.
Amjad Ali, a correspondent of 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 and its peripherals.
Dr Siller, in her keynote address, explained factors that led to her motivation of investing her energies for the project and her husband Dr Pintsch narrated her journey.
Senior citizen and intellectual Aslam Tahirul Qadri and Chaudhry Maqsood Ahmed Jutt also addressed the event moderated by the UO Press, Media & Publications deputy director Sharjeel Ahmed.
Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2026
Labels: Amjad Ali, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, Okara, Thatta Kedona, Tribute, University of Okara
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:19 AM,
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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.
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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,
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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,
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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,
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An Evening With Dr Senta Siller
Friday, March 27, 2026
Labels: Dr Senta Siller
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:27 PM,
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Senta Maria Anna Siller
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Visit this link (https://archive.org/details/projekt-die-jahreszeiten) to know more about Dr Senta Siller and discover some of the steps in her journey from the city child (Vienna) to becoming a village child, and with these experiences and skills, returning to the city (Berlin) and then the world...
Labels: Dr. Sena Siller
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:30 AM,
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Thatta Kedona at DACCHI Bazaar in LAHORE
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Labels: DACCHI, Lahore, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:30 AM,
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Off to Thatta Kedona
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Unimaginable – a generation ago, the journey from Lahore to Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka (TGD) took eight hours; a round trip in one day was hardly possible. Tongas and rickshaws were the usual means of transport in rural areas. There wasn't a single gas station between Lahore and Okara.
The situation improved with the construction of the Lahore-Multan Highway, so that visitors, by car or bus (e.g., from universities), increasingly visited the village of TGD.
Sustainable tourism developed. Guests could stay overnight with accommodation and meals; thanks to the drinking water project, fish could be offered for local consumption; neem tree leaves for insect repellent were available, as were sugarcane spread and fresh buffalo milk.A prize was regularly awarded for the most beautiful mud house (Preservation of Cultural Heritage).
Historical sites were highlighted in the surrounding area (the fort in Gogera, Lord Berkeley's cemetery near Gogera / separatist terrorists rebelled against the occupiers – the first days of independence); the publication "Dolls, Toys and More" by S A J Shirazi, published by Feroszons, draws attention to places of interest: Patoki, Sahiwal, Okara, and Sher Garh.
The project's sustainability in this context was repeatedly hampered by major political events (nuclear tests), security concerns, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and pandemics, so that domestic and international guests and visitors could take advantage of the pleasant temperatures between September and March.
TK (Thatta Kedona) lives on, preserving its traditional character. Local culture and looks optimistically to the future:
-In 2019, an art project (Artist in Residence Peter Hecht) was successfully carried out,
-In 2021, the crime novel *The Village of Dolls* by Hans Sachs was published,
-In 2024, Dr. Gwendolyne Kulick received her doctorate with a research dissertation in which the TK project also played a role.
-In 2025, after 25 years, the doll project participated in the Bazaar 2025 in Berlin with its own stand, under the patronage of Dr. Senta – a wonderful sign of the connection between tradition and the future.
Labels: Dolls Toys and More, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr. Gwendolyne Kulick, Peter Hecht, TGD, Thatta Kedona, The Village of Dolls
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 3:15 PM,
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Thatta Kedona is more than dolls and toys
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,
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The web never forgets – so says
Monday, January 26, 2026
Since 2000, village project information has been primarily disseminated online; since January 2004, there has been a dedicated blog: www.THATTAKEDONA.blogspot.com
Only those who browse the blog will realize that while the flagship project of dolls and handicrafts has successfully established itself as a tradition (an initiative of Dr. Senta Siller), behind and beneath the surface of these crafts were a multitude of other projects that also addressed the future.
Photovoltaics, harnessing wind power with kites, windmills for electricity generation, sustainable and climate-friendly construction with clay, internet radio, and much more were topics intended as inspiration but have since become part of the urban culture; for example, the Photovoltaic system (the first and only private installation in Pakistan in 1997).
Student groups from NCA, UEAT, Comsats, BNU, and PU traveled by bus to the AFA's Technology and Transfer Centre in Thatta Ghulamkha Dhirokha.
The AFA's TTTC conducted workshops in Karachi and Abbottabad, experimental houses were built in Lahore, and an Institute for Experimental Building was established there. The FPAC's magazine, GREENMAG, featured several articles showcasing certain results of the TTTC. At the former NWFP, special houses with adapted technology were built for flood victims.
Not only did the AFA's WAC, now the Senta Siller Design Centre, operate outside the region, but the TTTC also collaborated with the CAT in Cameroon and TM in Colombia, where institutes were established at universities. A dedicated university for Appropriate Technology and Traditional Medicine was even founded in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
Labels: Culture, Dr Senta Siller, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:44 AM,
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