The French Embassy in Pakistan marked a remarkable milestone — the 10th anniversary of archaeological excavations at Chanhu-Daro, Sindh, led by the French Archaeological Mission in the Indus Basin (MAFBI). This celebration stands as a testament to the enduring French-Pakistani scientific partnership that has been unearthing the ancient mysteries of the Indus Valley since 1958.
The first event took place at the Taxila Institute of Archaeology and Civilizations (TIAC), Quaid-i-Azam University, where students and professors praised the flawless organization and intellectually rich programme of the scientific conference.
The second event, held on Tuesday, gathered Pakistani and French experts for an engaging dialogue on archaeology and cultural heritage. The session was inaugurated by H.E. Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of France to Pakistan, and Dr. Aman Ullah, Director General of the Department of Archaeology & Museums.
Among the distinguished speakers were Dr. Aurore Didier, Director of MAFBI, who shared a decade of excavation insights; Dr. Marjan Mashkour, who discussed bioarchaeological research and training; and Dr. Sadeed Arif, highlighting long-term academic collaboration between the two nations.
Promising Pakistani scholars — Dr. Abdul Hameed from Hazara University and Mr. Zakir Khan from the Balochistan Directorate of Archaeology — presented their research, while Dr. Cristina Menegazzi from Expertise France AFD – UNESCO Pakistan showcased France’s continued contributions to cultural heritage preservation. A special video presentation by CTA&AD, Government of Sindh, further illustrated this collaborative journey.
Together, these events underscored the depth of cooperation and knowledge exchange between France and Pakistan — a partnership dedicated to preserving history while training the next generation of archaeologists and bioarchaeologists.
The final celebration will be held on November 12 at QUEST University, Nawabshah, bringing the spirit of discovery closer to the local communities near Chanhu-Daro, where the story of the Indus continues to unfold.