HAH Report Shelley Fairweather-Vega, a Seattle-based writer and translator. She translates literature from Russian and Uzbek languages into English. She collaborates with authors, academics, and activists around the world and has worked on projects as varied as Russian poetry, Uzbek historical fiction, popular science, romance, and detective stories. She is a founder of the literary translation circle in Seattle, …

The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) has been helping communities create safe and resilient human habitats, with improved services in areas where they could see a future for themselves with focus on programmes related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Herald Report The climate change caused by global heating and overexploitation of resources by corporate greed have put the existence …

Unprecedented ocean and cryosphere change requires urgent action, IPCC report finds Herald Report Our oceans are warming, ice sheets are melting, and sea levels are rising – and all at an unprecedented rate, according to a report, published by the Geneva-based Mountain Research Institute. The most recent report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), highlights the severe impact …

A documentary by an award-winning Pakistani filmmaker shows the lives of traditional musicians, musical instrument makers and the challenges they face by Omair Ahmad Indus Blues is an aural and visual delight, and it is no wonder it is winning, and being nominated for, a slew of awards. A 75 minute documentary on the folk musicians of Pakistan by the young filmmaker …

Ghulkin ended runner up. Twenty teams from all over Gojal participated in 10 days events. By Asif Sakhi PASSU (Gojal): In a thrilling final match host Passu team won the All Gojal A-Grade T-20 Cricket championship trophy beating Ghulkin by 5 wickets. The tournament concluded with a grand finale after 10 days impressive matches between 20 teams from all over …

 Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro on the distinctive aesthetic to be found in Gojal valley, upper Hunza of Gilgit-Baltistan By Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro The Wakhi are known for their distinctive way of life, music, traditional food and festivals. Tracing their origin to the Wakhan region, in the north-east of Afghanistan, this ethnic group now live in many remote valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. In recent …

In a remote valley of Chitral, the conservation programme turns local women into artisans, helping them generate extra income. Shameem Ara, a housewife in remote Chitral valley, spends most of her leisure time drawing colourful decorative thread work on locally prepared handwoven Chitrali wool through embroidery. This helps her generate additional income to get her two children educated. Due to …

Herald Special In remote Tajik mountains, Pamiris keep unique culture alive. The Pamir mountains of northern Tajikistan are sometimes known as “Baam-e-Jahan” (the roof of the world) or High Asia. Isolated by the rugged terrain, the Pamiri people who live there have preserved some of the Zoroastrian traditions that preceded the advent of Islam. They claim that they are descendants …

Farman Ali   The High Asia Herald and Baam-e-Dunya media group is proud to announce the launching of two songs of Wajahat Shah Aalmi, a young multitalented songwriter, composer and singer from Yasin valley of Ghizer district in Gilgit-Baltistan. ‘Aamad’ Wajahat’s much-awaited debut video song ‘Aamad’ (Arrival in Persian) will be launched on Saturday, April 27, at the office of …

Herald Report The University of Central Asia (UCA)  organised the “Festival of Togetherness” on its campus in Khorog, Tajikistan, recently. Badakhshan TV  produced a special news report in Tajiki language highlighting the salient features of the festival. The festival is one of UCA students’ initiatives and its objective is to showcase the cultures, traditions and values of different nations, and to encourage …

By Shohgulkhon Shahboz TAJIKISTAN: New governor of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast or province (GBAO) has asked the Pamiri expatriates to play a role in the development of the region. Governor Yodgor Fayzov has called upon the Pamiris living abroad to contribute to the efforts of the government in the development of the mountainous region with their knowledge and expertise. “The mountainous region …

Being caught in a powerful snow avalanche on the way in the middle of the mountains is a dangerous situation, but residents of the mountainous regions of Tajikistan risk their lives several times a year while traveling along a dangerous route. Izzat Latif DUSHANBE, March 12: Most often, residents of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), who involuntarily become hostages of the …

Arley Titzler Recent advances in remote sensing and computational power have allowed scientists to overcome a stubborn obstacle, which limited their ability to calculate the total volume of glacier ice in the world. Since satellites look down on the world’s glaciers, total area is simpler to measure. But to estimate volume, it is necessary to know how thick glaciers are. As climate …

By Gerry Shih NEAR SHAYMAK, Tajikistan — Two miles above sea level in the inhospitable highlands of Central Asia, there’s a new power watching over an old passage into Afghanistan: China. For at least three years, Chinese troops have quietly monitored this choke point in Tajikistan just beyond China’s western frontier, according to interviews, analysis of satellite images and photographs, …

By Shogulkhon Shahboz Heavy snowfall on Tuesday blocked again a main highway that connects Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital city, with Sughd province. The highway was reopened to traffic on Sunday but the fresh spell of snowfall triggered a series of avalanches that blocked the highway connecting Dushanbe and Khujand, the capital city of the northern Sughd province. Avalanches also blocked the …