Youths’ role in peaceful co-existence stressed

LAHORE An NGO, in collaboration with Punjab Youth Affairs Department and Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAAC), launched its project, Transforming Communities for Peaceful Co-existence (TCPC), in an elaborate ceremony held in PILAAC, Gaddafi Stadium.

Education Minister Rana Mashhood was chief guest on the occasion. Addressing the participants, he said Punjab Textbook Board will work to ensure that it continues to promote tolerance. Secretary for the Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Nayyer Iqbal, in his address as Guest of Honour congratulated the NGO and PILAAC by saying, "The youth of Punjab is an important asset that cannot be ignored. The active participation of youths in this initiative is vital for its progress. The Youth Affairs Department will continue to support such wonderful projects."

Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Khalil Tahir Sindhu said such initiatives are the need of the hour to promote inter-faith harmony. PILAAC Director General Sughra Sadaf said PILAAC understands how important inclusivity is.

Therefore, we will never miss an opportunity to support such initiatives. Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director of NGO said that through this project we hope to achieve two results. The first is the gradual reduction of hate speech and its replacement with a positive narrative of interfaith harmony.

This will be achieved through training of youth leaders who will promote peaceful co-existence and social cohesion in the society. The second result takes into account the civil society. Through this project, civil society will advocate for reforms, better implementation of laws and policies to reduce violent extremism and promote equal rights and opportunities for all citizens regardless of faith and ethnicity." Member Punjab Assembly Hina Butt said cultural notions must have been reviewed.

The panellists for the ceremony included MPA Hina Butt, MPA Kanji Ram from Punjab Assembly, Nouman Ali Chaudhry, Human Rights Activist Tahira Habib, President Hindu Sudhar Sabha Amarnath Randhawa, Educator and Youth representative Wasma Imran, MPA Nabila Hakim and Taranjeet Singh.

After the launching ceremony, Sabiha Shaheen announced that trained youths will carry out 10 social action plans reaching 60 communities. Other than this, the organisation will celebrate multi-religious festivity. Four training workshops will be organised to train youths to carry forward Project TCPC more effectively. Other than this, Bargad will work on the development of an amendment legislative draft for minority-friendly textbooks. To make sure the message spreads more effectively, the NGO will run and organise mass media campaigns and seminars in universities simultaneously.