Latest news with #Lari
Express Tribune
29-03-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
A symbol of courage and integrity
In an era where silence often prevails in the face of injustice, internationally renowned Pakistani architect Yasmin Lari has set a remarkable precedent by refusing the prestigious Wolf Prize in Architecture (2025). This bold decision was not merely an act of personal conviction but a powerful statement against the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. By declining an award introduced in Israel in 1978, Lari has demonstrated the moral strength and integrity that make her not only an exemplary architect but also a beacon of humanitarian consciousness. Lari's decision to reject the award is a profound act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. The Wolf Prize, which aims to promote 'friendly relations between peoples', stands in stark contrast to the ongoing suffering in Gaza. Her refusal highlights the urgency of acknowledging and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. As she eloquently stated, 'I had to do it, I had no choice, I did it, what else can we do?' Her words resonate with the sentiments of millions who feel helpless but seek ways to voice their opposition to injustice. Lari has made a lasting impact on both architecture and social activism. Her work spans from grand structures to sustainable, low-cost housing for marginalised communities, notably aiding flood victims in Sindh. Beyond design, she prioritises social responsibility, earning prestigious accolades such as the 2023 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture and the 2020 Jane Drew Prize. Her work embodies ethical, inclusive architecture that empowers marginalised communities and reshapes architecture's societal role. By refusing the Wolf Prize, Lari has reinforced the idea that professional excellence must be accompanied by moral responsibility. Her courageous stand reminds the world that architecture is not just about building structures; it is about shaping societies and standing up for justice. In doing so, she has become an inspiration not only for architects but for all individuals who seek to align their professional achievements with ethical principles. Dr Intikhab Ulfat Karachi
Arab News
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari turns down Israel's Wolf Prize over ‘genocide' in Gaza
KARACHI: Renowned Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has refused to accept the prestigious Wolf Prize 2025 in the field of architecture over the 'continuing genocide' of Palestinians in Gaza, she confirmed on Tuesday. The Wolf Prize is an international award granted in Israel since 1978 to living scientists and artists for their 'achievements in the interest of mankind and friendly relations among people.' It is awarded in six fields, including agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics, and an arts prize that rotates between architecture, music, painting and sculpture. Lari, who works in the intersection of architecture and social justice, wrote to Wolf Foundation that she was grateful for the honor, but could not accept it 'in view of the unfortunate continuing genocide in Gaza.' 'I declined the award because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a reason I explicitly stated in my response to them. Given the current situation in Gaza, accepting the award was out of the question,' she told Arab News. The development came as Israeli fire killed eight people in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, Palestinian officials said on Tuesday, even as a fragile ceasefire with Hamas has largely held. Israel last week suspended supplies of goods and electricity to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians as it tries to pressure Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire, which ended on March 1. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas instead wants to start negotiations on the ceasefire's more difficult second phase, which would see the release of remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others. Israel's war on Gaza, which began after Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, a majority of them women and children. The 15-month Israeli military campaign has laid waste to the Gaza Strip, destroying hospitals, schools and entire residential neighborhoods. 'Declining the award was the very least I could do,' Lari told Arab News. Lari is known for her socially conscious works on humanitarian grounds and for catering to the spatial needs of Pakistan's most marginalized communities. She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan with her husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari, in 1980, and has constructed over 50,000 sustainable self-built shelters and over 80,000 ecological cooking stoves using natural materials like mud, lime, and bamboo. The philanthropic architect, who advocates that traditional construction techniques can lead to low-impact carbon-neutral buildings, was awarded the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal in 2023 for her humanitarian work.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How cities cope with climate-caused floods and drought
Urban areas, which are home to more than half of the 8 billion people on the planet, are known to be heating faster than rural regions. They are also, according to new research by the international charity WaterAid, particularly at risk from water-related natural disasters. The study examines more than 100 major cities where climate patterns have dramatically changed over the past four decades. And in unexpected ways. "I assumed dry places were getting drier and wet places wetter, but the most surprising thing to me was that many cities are experiencing a complete change in what they were used to managing," Katherine Nightingale, WaterAid's global international affairs director, told DW. Cities such as Cairo, Madrid, Hong Kong, and the Saudi cities of Riyadh and Jeddah — once prone to floods — now struggle with drought. Meanwhile traditionally dry cities in India, Colombia, Nigeria and Pakistan are now likely to experience flooding. "Infrastructure that was designed and built at a time when these were dry cities are now having to deal with this idea that these are now flood-prone cities," Nightingale said. All but three of the cities facing increasing floods are in Asia — half of them in India. Europe, North Africa and the Middle East are experiencing the greatest drying trend. Cities in China, Indonesia, the United States and East Africa are most at risk from a climate whiplash — meaning that they must deal with both increased wetness and dryness, often within the same year. And that's especially hard to handle. "Droughts dry up water sources, while floods destroy toilets and sanitation systems and contaminate drinking water," Nightingale said. Such breakdowns in water, sanitation and hygiene services are often felt most by vulnerable communities through impacts on health, education and livelihoods that can push them deeper into poverty. Nightingale said it was vital to "map who's most at risk and work with these communities on the front lines." That's exactly what Pakistan's first female architect, Yasmeen Lari, now in her 80s, has been doing for years. She has found creative and inexpensive ways to protect the most vulnerable people against flooding. WaterAid ranks Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, among the 10 most at risk from a combination of intensifying climate hazards and the high vulnerability of its communities. As many as half of its 20 million people live in slums. In an effort to make the city more resistant to floods, Lari made use of terracotta — drawing on Pakistan's rich craft traditions. "I'm surprised it's not used more because it's a wonderful material, it's permeable, it absorbs water," she said. She added that it also "helps cool down the air." Taking a street-by-street approach, Lari has replaced impermeable asphalt surfaces with terracotta tiles, installed stormwater wells and planted native trees along streets to absorb rainwater and reduce heat. Her work has already cooled streets by 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) and prevented flooding, she says. "In a very complex environment such as our urban centers, it's very difficult to take up a whole area and revamp it," Lari said, "but it's possible to take sort of neighborhood enclaves which are then flood-free and free of any kind of heat islands." During Pakistan's devastating 2022 floods, which affected 33 million people and left Karachi underwater, the only dry street was the one Lari had already revamped, she said. Lari didn't just want to flood-proof streets — a process in which she involves residents — but has also set out to create inexpensive flood-resilient housing. "We don't have to go for big ambitious space schemes," she said. "If you do everything locally, with local materials, then it makes it affordable for people." Having experimented with sustainable low-cost materials, she has come up with a simple bamboo hut with that costs just $87 (€80) — one-tenth the price of a cement house in Pakistan — and is resilient in the face of floods and earthquakes. "I never thought bamboo was worth looking at. But ever since I started building with it, I never looked back. I just use bamboo now," Lari said. The plant's natural flexibility allows it to bend rather than break under pressure, and, unlike concrete, it doesn't trap water, thereby preventing structural damage. It also grows rapidly — some species over a meter per day — and is easy to replant. She sees potential for bamboo housing in cities worldwide, even in the Global North. While Pakistan faces floods, the southern African country of Zambia struggles with droughts that disrupt access to water, sanitation and electricity — affecting low-income communities most severely. The country relies on hydroelectric power, which is also used to supply the population with clean water. But when scarce rainfall causes levels to drop, it results in power shortages and limited access to clean water. Stagnant water during drought can also become a breeding ground for disease. "2024 saw the worst cholera outbreak that the country has ever experienced," said Yankho Mataya, WaterAid's country director in Zambia. She said the spread of the disease was closely linked to the water supply and that the capital, Lusaka, was identified as the "epicenter" of the outbreak. WaterAid helped residents of Sylvia Masebo, a hard-hit neighborhood in the city, by installing solar panels to generate the electricity needed to pump water collected in tanks. The project was a success. "When production of water supply from the utility company was low due to the electricity crisis triggered by the next drought, this community continued to enjoy full access to safe drinking water," Mataya said. The initiative is easily replicable, particularly in rural areas. WaterAid has since expanded it to schools, communities, and healthcare facilities. Applying such solutions on a broader level, requires funding that Mataya says is slow in coming. "The problem is, we're not seeing as much public investment and instead a significant dependency on external funding," she said. Nightingale stresses the need for government plans and investment to be specifically targeting the most vulnerable communities. "It isn't rocket science. The solutions are out there, and they are very simple, but they require effort and commitment," she said. "Our data shows that this is a global issue. Cites on every continent and in every corner of the world are affected. So, we all need to act now and work together to make cities more resilient." Lari also advocates for working together. She believes change can happen if people are encouraged to participate in bringing it about. "We need to really see how we can get to people and say you can do it yourself, as well. You just have to share the knowledge, empower them, get them to do it, and, if you can put women in the lead, you are a winner," she said. Edited by: Tamsin Walker
Express Tribune
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pakistani architect Dr Yasmeen Lari refuses Israel's Wolf Prize over Gaza genocide
Lari's refusal follows escalating violence in Gaza, with Israeli fire killing eight Palestinians despite a fragile ceasefire. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article Renowned Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has turned down the prestigious Wolf Prize 2025 in the field of architecture, citing the "continuing genocide" of Palestinians in Gaza. Lari confirmed her decision on Tuesday, explaining that she could not accept the award due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Wolf Prize, granted annually in Israel since 1978, honors living scientists and artists for their achievements in various fields, including architecture. The award aims to promote "friendly relations among people" through recognition of contributions to humanity. In her letter to the Wolf Foundation, Lari expressed her gratitude for the honor but made it clear that accepting the award was "out of the question" given the situation in Gaza. Lari's refusal comes amid escalating violence in Gaza. In the past 24 hours, Israeli fire killed eight Palestinians, according to Palestinian officials, despite a fragile ceasefire with Hamas. The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, many of them women and children. Israel's military campaign, which began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, has led to widespread destruction, including hospitals, schools, and residential areas in the Gaza Strip. The acclaimed architect, known for her socially conscious work, has long advocated for socially responsible architecture, particularly for marginalized communities. She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in 1980, through which she has helped build sustainable shelters and ecological cooking stoves using natural materials. In 2023, Lari was awarded the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal for her humanitarian contributions. 'I declined the award because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a reason I explicitly stated in my response to them," Lari said in an interview with Arab News, adding that her decision to turn down the award was "the very least I could do."
