This is a citizen's initiative for a sustainable plan for Lahore, that has grown out of the strategic framework adopted by the Lahore Conservation Society in 2006, and the experience of six years of activism under the banner of the Lahore Bachao Tehrik (Lahore Conservation Movement).
The project aims to enable us to know who we are (identity), where we are (environment), where we are coming from (history), where we want to be (goals), and how to act for the achievement of our goals.
"Lahore, Tales Without End" speaks to us of the urbanity of the city, and the humanity of its people. But it also speaks of plunder and pillage by rulers driven by the desire to have, to acquire, to possess, to dominate and control what was not theirs.
“Lahore Lahore aye”, Lahore is Lahore. Nothing more and nothing less. It is not this or that parcel of land, defined by political, administrative, geographic or linguistic boundaries. It is not this or that ethnic, racial or linguistic group. Yet it is all of these and more. It is a concept, an idea, a "Topophilia". A single integrated whole that is manifested in a multiplicity of forms.
Objectives
'The objective of the project is the survival of our
humanity and our environment.'
humanity and our environment.'
Our campaigns and activities for conservation have repeatedly brought us into conflict with the demands of‘development’. Our deliberations on issues of ‘sustainable urban development' have led us to the conclusion that the modernist paradigm, that equates development with economic growth and the development of the means of production, is not sustainable. The prerequisite of human development is conservation of our humanity and our environment.
Our humanity is defined by the universal set of qualities and values that define what it means to be “human” –qualities such as Love, Compassion, Justice and Beauty – not by quantities such as gross national product, monetary wealth and material possessions.
Policies
All willful human interventions must be consistent with the objective of conservation of our humanity and our environment.
Change and Development:
Change is the only constant in nature.- Development is not a goal but a process of becoming.
- The goal is what we desire to be or to have.
- The goal of human development is to realize our highest human potential.
- Desire is in the nature of man. But man has a dual nature: he is both animal and human.
- We can only be what we are already potentially.
- The traditional criterion of human development is the extent to which man realizes his human potential.
- The modern criterion of development is what we have.
- The desire to have what we need is necessary to sustain ourselves. The desire to have what we do not need is greed.
- Mahatma Gandhi said that the world has enough for man’s needs, but not for his greed.
- Greed is unjust, exploitative, destructive and unsustainable.
Methodology
The project provides a space for the pooling and sharing of information, for free and open discussion, for formulation of strategies through a process of informed debate and concrete plans for action:
Participatory Project:
The project is a transparent, inter-active process, open to all citizens, that allows us to participate in determining the future our own city.The success of the project is entirely dependent on the participation of citizens from all walks of life. The only qualification required to join the team is sincerity of purpose, a concern for our environment and our fellow citizens and a will to do what we believe is right.
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