UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, announced on Wednesday the appointment of 

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan as UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador. 

Prior to this appointment, Ms. Khan had been supporting UNHCR’s activities for the 

last few years and has remained a strong voice for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. 

“I feel privileged to have been chosen to serve this noble cause,” said Ms. Khan at 

the appointment ceremony, which was held on Wednesday in Islamabad. 

UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Mr. George Okoth-Obbo, 

the Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Mr. Shehryar 

Khan Afridi , UNHCR’s Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. 

Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Ruvendrini 

Menikdiwela, and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony. 

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Khan said that Pakistan has been hosting Afghan 

refugees for four decades. “I feel proud that my country is one of the most generous 

countries of the world,” she said. “By becoming UNHCR National Goodwill 

Ambassador, I wish to stand behind such incredible acts of hospitality and humanity,” 

Ms Khan added. 

She said that the majority of refugees are being hosted by the developing countries 

and a sense of shared responsibility has yet to be achieved. “More needs to be done 

to support countries and communities which host refugees,” she added. 

UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations commended the newly 

appointed National Goodwill Ambassador for supporting UNHCR’s activities and for 

continuing to demonstrate her personal commitment towards refugees. 

“I am delighted to see Pakistani celebrities coming forward in support of the refugee 

cause, making their voices heard locally, nationally and globally, and having a very 

strong influence on youth,” he said. 

He noted that high-profile supporters, such as Ms. Khan, can serve as a symbol of 

partnership between the people of Pakistan and the international community. 

Mr. Okoth-Obbo said that as the newly appointed UNHCR National Goodwill 

Ambassador, Ms. Khan will help reinvigorated support for refugees. On the occasion, 

an Afghan refugee woman presented the Goodwill Ambassador with a shawl. The 

handmade shawl made by women in Pakistan, including refugees, was a gift from the 

designer and philanthropist Mr. Rizwan Beyg, also a high-profile supporter of 

UNHCR in Pakistan. 

According to the villagers, Curdi was once a thriving place. However, in the year 1986, the village ceased to exist for the villagers. The first Dam of Goa was constructed and as a result of that, Curdi was completely sunk under water. But in the month of May, the water goes recedes and the village comes back again.

After the water goes back, what remains are cracks in the field, tree stumps, eroded houses, ruined water canals, barren land and so on. However, it must be noted that the land used to be very fertile before this incident happened. The population of about three thousand people lived by cultivating the lands which were surrounded by jackfruit, mango and cashew trees.

Another important aspect of the village was that many people from different religious communities lived together. One can find a Temple, a few smaller shrines, a Muslim place of worship and also a Chapel in the village. After the water recedes, the Christian community comes together for an annual Chapel feast and the Hindus organise a Temple feast during that month. A perfect example of religious harmony for sure!

One will also be amazed to know that Curdi is the birthplace of eminent classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar.

After Goa was liberated from the clutches of the Portuguese in the year 1961, several changes happened in the village. Dayanand Bandodkar, who was the first Chief Minister of Goa visited the village and spoke about the dam and how it would benefit the villagers. Six hundred families were forcibly relocated to other villages. However, they were given land and compensation for their sacrifice.

The dam was built on the Salaulim River and was named as the Salaulim Irrigation Project. The main aim of the Dam was to give water for irrigation, industrial and drinking purposes to people in South Goa. An estimated 400 million litres of water was to be provided to the people per day.

However, the tragedy is that the water from the project never reached the villages where the residents of Curdi were relocated. The tap system did not go to all the villages as was promised.

The people who went to other villages face water problems in the summer. They then have to depend on government tankers which provide them with water.

Relocation is very common in recent times. But that is not so for the people of Curdi who come to visit their lost homeland when the water goes down. Curdi was a part of their identity and they were so closely knit. Hence, they go back to Curdi again and again.

Priyanka Dutta