After hosting artists and filmmakers to document the picturesque Shigar Valley, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s Neela Asmaan initiative is ready to take its next step in trying to shape the valley’s future.
In an Instagram post on Monday, it announced its upcoming Climate Futures Residency, which invites “thinkers, researchers, scientists, technologists, environmentalists, agricultural practitioners, architects, heritage specialists and those working to understand the challenges and possibilities of the decades ahead” to spend two weeks in the valley, interacting with its people, environment and each other.
The first iteration of the programme is divided into two interconnected residencies set to take place in July and August.
The first, titled Reading the Valley involves research, observation and community engagement. The second part, Imagining Futures, does exactly what the name says — participants plan for future scenarios and design policies.
Each of these residencies will have two participants who will use their time in Shigar to talk to local stakeholders: farmers, tourism industry representatives and government officials.
