The International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) has announced a joint project with the Afghan government and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) for research and the construction of a “vast archeological park” at the site of Bala Hissar Citadel in Kabul, said an ALIPH press release.
$2.6 million from the Geneva-based foundation is to be provided over the next four years, and India has also pledged $1 million to the site, said the report.
Valery Freland, ALIPH’s executive director, said that currently, the organization has undertaken over 100 projects internationally, including 12 projects worth $7 million in Afghanistan.
“This project is important for Kabul not only because it will have a significant economic and social impact on the city over the next four years, but also because it has the promise to profoundly transform the lives of its inhabitants, providing them with a place to walk and to rediscover their history. It is a project that brings hope at a decisive moment in Afghanistan’s history,” Freeland said.
The project will focus on archaeological excavations, conservation of artifacts, restoration of the historic buildings, and construction of an educational center