CHITRAL: In a landmark development for the preservation of regional languages, a historic five-day orthography workshop that focused on the Madaklashti Persian language successfully concluded in Madaklashti, Chitral.

Organised by Hunarmandan, the event ran from June 8 to 12, marking a monumental step toward safeguarding the area’s unique cultural heritage.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of linguists, researchers, local leaders and community representatives who got engaged in deep discussions built on academic, research and linguistic foundations to tackle pressing issues surrounding language, culture and local identity.

The core focus of the sessions remained on the writing system (orthography), distinct linguistic features, historical background and cultural weight of Madaklashti Persian.

Prominent linguists and researchers from both Islamabad and Chitral traveled to the valley to share their academic expertise and research findings.

Among the notable experts who guided the community leadership and participants were Naseem Khan, Farid Ahmad Raza, Professor Zahoorul Haq Danish, Shahid, Eijaz Ahmed and Shafiq Dinar Khan.

The organisers emphasised that the five-day event does not represent a final decision, but the beginning of a rigorous and collective process. They noted that developing a standardised orthography and achieving community-wide consensus is expected to take the next two to three years.

During this upcoming period, a series of consultative meetings, interactive sittings, and specialised training sessions will be rolled out. Community leaders, scholars and local residents are expected to play an active and central role in these future sessions.

The underlying philosophy of the project is community empowerment. While experts and supporting bodies will provide technical roadmaps and research-backed suggestions, the final choices regarding the language, culture and identity will be made entirely by the community through collective wisdom.

The event was made possible through a strategic partnership between the Forum for Language Initiatives (FLI) and the Hunarmandan Centre for Cultural and Creative Entrepreneurship.

FLI brings 22 years of rich experience in documenting, researching and protecting undocumented languages across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Northern Pakistan while Hunarmandan focuses on empowering local communities by turning cultural heritage and regional skills into sustainable economic opportunities.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2026