The shared heritage, cultural connections and resilience of communities living across the Sundarbans of Bangladesh and Kolkata were highlighted at the closing event of an EUNIC-supported project at the Goethe-Institut Bangladesh on Monday night.
Titled “Sundarbans Across Borders: The Spirit of Cultural Resilience”, the project was organised by EUNIC Cluster Bangladesh and the EU Delegation to Bangladesh in collaboration with HERITEiNCE DoA-BUET, Riverine People and Team Platform.
The closing event brought together project partners, artists, researchers, cultural practitioners and guests to reflect on the initiative’s activities and explore the cultural and ecological connections shared by communities across the Sundarbans.
The programme began with a welcome address by Goethe-Institut Bangladesh Director Frank Werner, followed by an introduction to the project by Hasib Zuberi Shihan of Team Platform.
Two documentaries produced by EUNIC Clusters Bangladesh and Kolkata were screened, offering insights into the people, landscapes, cultural practices and ecological realities of the world’s largest mangrove forest.
A question-and-answer session followed, with Mohammad Tahajibul Hossain of HERITEiNCE and Hasib Zuberi Shihan responding to questions from the audience.
The discussion focused on life and livelihoods in the Sundarbans, its rich biodiversity and the complex relationship between local communities and the fragile ecosystem. Speakers also highlighted the challenges faced by residents and their resilience in adapting to them.
The closing programme also featured “The Hive and the Hymn”, an interdisciplinary exhibition exploring the tangible and intangible cultural practices of the Moual, the honey-collecting communities living along the fringes of the Sundarbans.
The exhibition features four bodies of Patachitra scroll work, including a traditional Gazir Pat, a contemporary depiction of the honey-collection cycle, a vertical retelling of the Bonobibi myth and a co-created scroll painted by community women and children.
Alongside the artworks, architectural and cultural research by BUET’s Heritage and Technology Integration Cell and Riverine People documents livelihood practices, settlement patterns, ecological adaptations and spiritual traditions of the region.
Through art and research, the exhibition examines the links between cultural heritage, livelihoods, ecology and resilience, while highlighting the role of women and younger generations in preserving cultural memory and ecological knowledge.
The “Sundarbans Across Borders” project sought to deepen understanding of the intersections between culture, living heritage and climate resilience on both sides of the Bangladesh-India border.
Through workshops, field studies, collaborative art production, documentary filmmaking and performances, the project brought together communities and cultural practitioners to explore the Sundarbans’ shared heritage and contemporary challenges.
The initiative was co-financed under the EUNIC Cluster Fund 2024, which supports sustainable and collaborative cultural projects across the region.
The closing event marked the culmination of the project while reaffirming the importance of continued cross-border dialogue and collaboration around the Sundarbans, a shared ecosystem shaped by intertwined histories, belief systems, cultural practices, artistic traditions and biodiversity.
“The Hive and the Hymn” will remain open to visitors daily from 3pm to 9pm through 12 September at the Goethe-Institut Bangladesh Auditorium, House 10, Road 9, Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka-1205.
Visitors can explore the exhibition and discover the stories, traditions, artistic expressions and ecological knowledge connecting communities of the Sundarbans across borders.
