Pakistan remains at the acute frontier of climate vulnerability, categorized as the fifth most affected nation globally regarding extreme weather exposure. The country’s diverse topography-ranging from glaciated northern mountain ranges to central riverine plains, arid hill torrent catchments, and low-lying coastal deltas-creates a complex multi-hazard landscape. The 2025 monsoon season underscored this compounded risk environment, affecting over 6.9 million individuals, displacing 2.9 million people, and claiming over 1,000 lives across the country. The disaster damaged or destroyed over 229,700 homes, washed away 790 bridges, and severed 2,811 kilometers of road infrastructure, isolating vulnerable communities and crippling local supply chains.
The Rivers Remember: Bringing Flood Awareness Through Art
‘The Rivers Remember’ is a flood awareness art project by Pakistan Art Forum, Government of Punjab and Alhamra Arts Council. The show features artworks by 75 artists from all across Pakistan with diverse visual languages all interpreting a common theme of ‘sustenance of life through rivers’. Opening at Museum of Modern Art, Alhamra Cultural Complex, Gulberg, show was curated in a way not only to feature artistic expression by these artists but also supplemented by information booths by three prominent humanitarian organizations, UNICEF, WWF and LPP (Lodhran Pilot Project). “The Rivers Remember is an art exhibit that was conceived a year ago with the aim of using my platform for a greater cause. Through this project we aim to engage the attention of a completely different audience towards social and climate issues that the country faces. I hope continue such projects in the future using art as a medium of expression for various issues across Pakistan’ noted by Imtisal Zafar, founder of Pakistan Art Forum.
75 Artists Highlight Pakistan’s Flood Crisis:
In addition to highlighting the catastrophe that the country faces annually, The Rivers Remember aims to spark a dialogue and conversation around flood preparedness, pre-emptiveness and disaster response.
Experts Discuss Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness:
Opening remarks to the event were made by Ramiz Behbudov, head of Punjab field office, UNICEF. Following a panel discussion-moderated by Sadaf Noori Malik and featuring a panel of environmental experts. Dr Fazilda Nabeel (LUMS Faculty and Climate and water governance expert), Muhammad Fawad Hayat (Senior Director Recharge Pakistan, WWF), Caitlin Lenzner-White (Partnerships Officer, UNICEF) and Muhammad Abdul Saboor (CEO, LPP) -focused on various aspects of disaster management, responses their respective originations and what can we as a nation to battle this calamity.
Art as a Voice for Climate Awareness and Recovery:
In the Key note speech, Mr. Stetson A. Sanders, Consul General, USA Consulate Lahore, noted The United States is proud to stand with Pakistan in that effort (of flood effects mitigation)- not just through emergency relief but through. Moments like this one, where art becomes a way of remembering honestly, grieving honestly and pointing toward what recovery actually requires: attention funding, coordination, and yes, a public that keeps paying attention long after the news camera move on to something else.
