About me

My graduation in Ceramics from the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore introduced me to the untold and unseen cultural heritage of Pakistan. Kathak dance, Printmaking and photography as my minors acquainted me with various techniques of portraying culture through various mediums. Then I joined the faculty of History of South Asian Design Course of the Department of Communication and Cultural Studies, NCA. Teaching to graduate level, the course equipped me with the new paradigms set-forth by art historians like Paul Greengh, Partha Mitter, Thakurta and others. Debates of art and craft, instinctive and manual art, intelligent and crude techniques, ideological articulation through artefacts, all such discourses imbued in post-colonial studies introduced me to what was before an alien terrain to an art student, ---the philosophy of art. It was an ideal way to combine my skills and interests through developing crafts research projects for pupils to rediscover the arts and crafts of my country, Pakistan which required strong team-work, communication, interpersonal and interpretive skills. Documentation through written reports and documentary films was produced through field research in remote areas of the country rediscovering the aspects of tangible and intangible heritage of areas such as Lahore, Khushab and Bahawalpur which are now preserved in NCA archives (*/).

As I was particularly attracted to heritage, I joined the Cultural Heritage Conservation Management (CHCM) team at NCA as an MPhil student. I worked with zeal and fervour to maximize the documentation, safeguarding and preservation of heritage of the Walled City of Lahore, Pakistan. I aimed to minimize the environmental effect through commercialisation and raise awareness for managing historic, built, natural, conservation, preservation and rehabilitation projects with individuals and organisations; Karvan Pakistan (*). My MPhil degree has enhanced my skills of quantitative research methodology and data management which will also be an advantage while researching and collecting information for projects and campaigns.

Supporting a range of projects with the Research and Publication Centre (RPC) enabled me to develop my project management skills and helped me to understand and interpret the requirements of project management; tools, process and plans. This is best demonstrated by the completion of seven books in a year and managing twenty-two projects at RPC-NCA. I believe the ability to build and maintain productive relationships with clients and colleagues are also one which I can bring to the role and the organisation.
I am fluent in speaking and writing English language and have a good level of computer literacy with working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Additionally, I possess excellent skills in designing invitations, broachers, flyers, banners and other promotional materials through programme such as Photoshop, Freehand, Corel Draw and Flash.I have recently vulenteered for the Arts Council London and Cultural Leadership Programme in the Re-freshers Conference from 6th July to 9th July 2010. I hope that on consideration of my application, you will be persuaded of my potential to perform well and to make a real contribution to the organisation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Samia Bukhari

Tourism, Heritage and Development

University of Glasgow