Indo Pak Peace Initiatives
India and Pakistan are probably among the youngest countries in the world with the median age of India at 24.9 years and that of Pakistan at 19.8 years. That's a strong enough reason to demonstrate that it's the youth of both the nations who will play a great role in opening up channels of communication and understanding, thus dispelling the long clouds of suspicion, bitterness and war.
WAYE Directors, Mr. Khurshed Batliwala and Mr. Dinesh Ghodke toured Pakistan for 2 weeks during March 2007. During this tour, over 100 Pakistani youth from various universities underwent a 7-day program in the age group of 18 to 25 years at the Indus School of Arts and Architecture, Karachi. Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, Hindus and young people of the Sufi faith participated in the Youth Empowerment Seminar. The aim was to empower the youth as individuals and then enable them to take responsibility for a violence-free, stress-free society. Strategies were also discussed to take initiatives for breaking prejudices by bringing people together by using mediums like music, dance, drama, arts, sports and social service. Almost all agreed to the fact that since we take food, fashion, music and technology from all over the world, its time to globalize wisdom, and not just potato chips and fizzy drinks. It was widely accepted that the youth thus has a major role in deepening the roots and broadening the vision of the nation.
The programs were conducted in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore and were featured in Hum TV, Jiyo Channel and TV1 which are major Pakistani TV Networks and in the top 4 radio channels - FM 89, FM 91, FM 99 and FM 103. The directors also met with UNDP, UNICEF and UNAIDS, Pakistan and sought to find avenues to work together with the youth by building on each others strengths. Discussions were also held with various NGOs like Insaan and Maqsad Foundation and an understanding was reached to carry out youth exchange programs between India and Pakistan for social welfare and cultural activities.
