Diversity conference highlights social issues

LAHORE: Two-day international conference “Diversity and Social Inclusion: A Way Forward for Institutional Reforms” concluded at the University of Management & Technology (UMT).

According to a press release, the conference was organised in collaboration with the Women Institute of Learning and Leadership (WILL) and the Association of Management Development Institution in Pakistan (AMDIP) and attended by national and international scholars.

Chairperson WILL Ms Maryam Nur Murad had inaugurated the conference along with President UMT Ibrahim Hassan Murad, former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani, Adviser to Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah, MNA Dr Nafisa Shah, International Security Analyst and journalist Nasim Zehra, Dr Naushaba Hassan, Rector UMT Professor Dr Muhammad Aslam and Director General UMT Abid HK Sherwani.

Maryam Nur Murad highlighted multiple issues faced by society in the domain of diversity and social inclusion. She said the conference tried to connect renowned practitioners, social institutions, professional experts and religious scholars to the civil society with their latest teachings and research to find the solutions faced by our society.

Raza Rabbani said the world was full of diverse cultures and religions. We should gather them the umbrella of humanity and abide by universal human laws. Women should also be empowered and provided quality education because women had central role in our society, he said.

Dr Nafisa Shah said youth was the best tool which could be helpful in resolving the issue of diversity. The minorities should be given equal rights in every society as they were also human beings, she added.

Ibrahim Hassan Murad said the purpose of the conference was to do focused research and find solutions for the challenges faced by all the civilisations across the globe on the diversity and inclusivity, discrimination on ethnicity and discrimination faced by humans on socio-culture basis. Abid HK Shirwani talked about the basic issues regarding empowerment and rights of the less privileged and disabled. Dr Muhammad Aslam also spoke.