Pakistani Army

Introduction Pakistan today is at cross roads with many de-stabilizing flashpoints jeopardizing the peace within. Whilst the peace process with its neighbors is on a firm footing with negotiations and talks at several levels of interaction and people to people exchanges, the initiatives within the country for interactions and ‘healing’ are negligible. The problems that create misunderstandings, lack of trust, low acceptance of heterogeneity, violence, terrorism, negative conflict, unbridled greed for material wealth, corruption, violations of human dignity and human rights are multiplying. The essence of all religions as charters of human rights to promote peace and tolerance is being undermined, putting at stake the future of several generations in Pakistan, eroding possibilities for a society that values peace, diversity, democracy and citizenship. Can we address this complex problem by engaging with schools as a vibrant platform to work with young students and teachers?

of our country.

 This is the starting point of our initiative on “Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity”. The quest in this journey has been to initiate a process of dialogues and development of texts across provinces with students of Grades VII-X, uncovering notions of what we/they mean by diversity, tolerance conflicts and citizenship. The interaction was to help enable them to appreciate provincial variations and histories in a multifaceted manner seeking areas of common understanding, for national integration and depth and to explore their ability to live and develop through multiple identities without feeling guilty and or disloyal in ‘the land of the pure’. The project’s objective was to work closely with teachers so that new pedagogies could be explored, creating shift in teachers’ interactions, giving them the courage to question and transform attitudes towards positive inclusions in schools and classrooms, irrespective of biradaris(castes and sub-castes), religion, gender, disabilities and class. It is an endeavour to secure peace as the fundamental pillar to citizenship for democracy and social change. Another strategic aim is to explore the possibility of generating powerful messages and texts for integration into textbooks for the new National Curriculum (2007) according to the new guidelines as well as supplementary readers. The most exciting aspect of this work would be working and enabling students to become authors and catalysts for the multiple textbooks permitted under the new textbook policy. This outcome would assist the healing process across provinces and schools, through revisiting concepts of diversity, tolerance and citizenship. Essay writing was the first activity of the project to identify students who could participate actively in the entire program of the year long project. Topics were selected after an intensive discussion amongst the project advisers. A list of over 40 titles was generated and finally reduced to seven which were sent to the target schools, students and teachers with detailed guidelines regarding length, research tips and writing on the topics (Annex). They were also informed about Rubric for Assessment /Weightage on how these essays would be judged. Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 4 The final titles selected by the project advisory panel were: 1. Window to the Future: The Pakistan I would like to live in 10 years from now. 2. Diversity is a nation's strength : To develop a nation requires the contribution of ALL its citizens 3. Becoming a Responsible citizen: Can education help? 4. Will peace education in Pakistan help reduce conflict? OR Conflict is not destructive, its how we deal with it 5. Sectarian violence: implications for citizens and country 6. Breaking the cycle of violence against women 7. The current trends in Music, fashion, films, theatre: Promoting diversity The entries received were vetted and final selection was made through consensus. The essay writing was tough to engage in and the project worked in two phases on essays, once at the outset in November 2007 and a second time during the two days workshops in each province/city, facilitated by ITA’s teams to enable the students and teachers to become more familiar with the process and various stages of essay writing. What was noted that students found working in groups very healthy to pool in ideas jointly; they wrote with confidence. They enjoyed the brainstorming process when facilitated by their teachers and ITA representatives. The government schools were first hesitant and slightly unfamiliar with a culture and practice of inter-personal skills across teachers and students but did manage to become believers in working with students and agreeing for students to work in groups collectively for better outcomes. Writing was not easy to handle and was clearly an area that requires support and many more opportunities in the curriculum and learning process. In secondary schools the practice of research and use of references is restricted and needs to be encouraged much more. Whilst selecting the essays a relaxation was made on the length of the writing as participating schools and students were from diverse linguistic and socio economic backgrounds, and for many even Urdu was a second language and English their third language. Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 5 ESSAYS Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 6 1. Social & Cultural Diversity Diversity means the existence of different cultures, customs, beliefs, traditions and languages in a place or different places at a given point in time. Diversity resembles the mix of different ingredients with the masala (spices) in a mixed vegetable dish. If we take an example of a recipe, we will come to know about different ingredients of various flavors which are equally important in providing a collectively good taste: tomatoes, green and red chilies and salt, all combined would provide beauty, great taste, to the salad and would draw everyone towards it. The state of our life is nothing more than a reflection of our state of mind. Diversity in Pakistan or any where in the world makes the world a better place to live in. It helps us in understanding the languages of different places and brings awareness about different traditions and ways of dressing up. We can learn more and more about the benefits of diversity by understanding and applying it on ourselves. Diversity is about valuing individual differences. It recognizes values and manages differences to enable everyone to be free. Diversity is a challenge which we have to embrace. * If the same culture always prevails everywhere, the environment would become boring, something no body wants, so there should be some change after certain intervals of time. * By: Tehmina Zamir Grade 10 Sadiqa Grade 10 Tanya Babar Grade 9 Kinza Grade 9 Abdullah Zafar Grade 9 School: Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust Higher Secondary School Status: Private School City & Province: Lahore, Punjab Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 7 2. Citizenship As Oprah Winfrey said “Education begins a gentleman, actions complete him." A citizen is a person who is a national of his country. Citizenship means "to work for the nation's prosperity. It is said: "It doesn't matter how small one is, one can still make a difference". That means we should not see that how small a person is but that his contribution can change the standard of education, health facilities and other aspects of society for a better future. A good Pakistani citizen is one who practices laws made by the government and persuades others to follow them too. He is one who not only cares for his own future but also cares for that of his country's and its citizens’. Leaving all aspects behind, a good Pakistani citizen is one who asks for his rights and also practices his responsibilities. Rights & responsibilities are two sides of a coin, where one asks for his rights, he is bound to practice the responsibilities that are upon him. I don’t know how many countries actually practice the human rights petition, out of the many that signed it. Pakistan has signed this petition but unfortunately none or very few rights from this petition are being practiced. United Declaration of Human Rights says: "All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endured with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood". Here are some rights and responsibilities all Pakistani citizens have: 1. We have the right to move freely 2. We should also give others the chance to move freely. 3. We have a right to have supply of water 4. We should not waste water 5. We have a right to live in a pollution free environment 6. We should not add to pollution 7. We have a right to get education 8. We should allow others to get it also 9. We should not have a burden of taxes. 10. We should pay taxes. By: Mujtaba Grade 9 Raza Abbas Grade 9 Awan Grade 9 School: Fatmiyah Education Network Status: Private School City & Province: Karachi, Sindh Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 8 3. What Is A Good Pakistani Citizen? Define His/Her Responsibilities & Rights. To understand what a good citizen is we must first understand the meaning of the word “citizen”. A citizen is a legal member of a political community and has citizenship. Citizenship is about understanding the rights and responsibilities you have as a member of society and learning how to exercise them. It is about knowing your legal, civil, human rights and responsibilities. To be a good Pakistani citizen we must understand the following rules and fulfill the following responsibilities: Acknowledge and expand our cultural diversities. Work and struggle for the development of the country. Understand* the importance of free press and the role of media. Take action against* oppressive and discriminatory policies. Gain*an understanding of processes in the government including how elections work across local authorities and central government. It is our responsibility to vote because voting allows people to decide which person or political party would make decisions for and about them. In addition to our responsibilities, we also have some rights. Regarding our rights in the world, the UN charter states: “Freedom of speech, expression of thought, religion and enterprise.” Most importantly, one person’s responsibilities are another person’s rights. We must guarantee the following rights: Proper education Equal opportunities for everyone Fair system of elections. Protection of life and property. Basic necessities including food, shelter and general welfare. If a person abides by these basic rights and responsibilities then he will undoubtedly become not only a good Pakistani citizen but also a good human being. By: Hassan Grade 9 Nida Grade 9 Tayabba Grade 9 Ruby Grade 9 School: Beacon House School Status: Private School City & Province: Lahore, Punjab Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 9 4. What Is A Good Pakistani Citizen? Define His / Her Rights And Responsibilities Modern civics is the term which, refers to the rights and duties of an individual. A good citizen is one who is dutiful, honest, efficient and hardworking. He prefers common good over personal desires. Pakistan is a God-gifted land which was established by our predecessors after making invaluable sacrifices. Those martyrs laid down their own lives so that others could get a chance to live. Patriotism must be the prime concern of every Pakistani. He or she should equip him/her self with the latest knowledge, so that they can become useful inhabitants. They must shed away ethno-sectarian divisions. Provincialism and tribalism must be set aside. Being the residents of the “land of pure people”, as the name “Pakistan” means, we must have good morals and character. We must work as a * model enlightened and moderate Muslim society. We must try our utmost to achieve the goals set by our predecessors. Sympathy, sincerity, devotion, commitment, moderation, accommodation and mutual cooperation must be the governing fibers of our social life. Being a good citizen, one has to take the burden of some responsibilities. It should be the prime responsibility of a good citizen to obey the laws of the community. He is responsible for passing on righteous deeds, harmony, love for peace and the feel of sympathy among his people. It is a saying about a democratic government: “You get the government you deserve”. It means that the things which one demands from the government will only be supplied if one struggles hard for it. One should join and take part in private and voluntary welfare organizations. One should pay income tax honestly and on time. After fulfilling their responsibilities, good citizens also demand for the community and personal rights. Both of these should be balanced, otherwise violence will be promoted and thus the community will be obliterated. The first basic and * fundamental right is the freedom of choice of religion. Every body should be given the right to lead one’s life according to the religion one wishes to follow. Other rights include the freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of media. It often happens in Pakistan that the people who are accused of crime are not given protection, so the Government should take serious steps and urge this issue. The right for the choice of leader should be provided to the public and that is the right to vote. They should be well informed on the issues and candidates. When the constitution was ratified in 1789 many people were concerned that it did not protect certain rights. So the above rights and responsibilities should be given the utmost importance. By: Asif Haider Grade 10 Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 10 Talha Fafi Grade 10 M. Haris Iqbal Grade 10 Shabbir Ahmed Mughal Grade 10-B Khush-Hal Khan Grade 9 School: Islamia Collegiate School, Peshawar Status: Govt School City & Province: Peshawar , NWFP Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity: Mobilizing Youth for National Harmony and Peace: the Search for Resources Within 11 5. What Is A Good Pakistani Citizen? Define His / Her Rights And Responsibilities A man cannot live alone. He must live with other human beings. When different people live together they make a society. They have certain rights and duties to fulfill. One responsibility of man is the right of another, so a good citizen by fulfilling his responsibilities has delivered rights to others. He helps others, respects them and obeys the rules set-up by the country. He is not limited to needs of his own life but he associates with the needs and requirements of his state. So a good citizen never lets injustice happen. He cannot tolerate injustice happening in his area. He raises his voice not only for his own rights but for those of others too. He uses his voting power to elect an eligible person and later removes him if he is not fulfilling his duties. If one sees the past, the famous people who brought revolution in society e.g., Nelson Mandela, did not do anything more than fulfilling their responsibilities. A good citizen is always ready to defend his country and help at the time of crisis. He is a friend of democracy. In short, a good citizen is honest towards his state and people. A good citizen* lays down his life for the glory of his country, religion and people. So we should try and prove ourselves to be the best citizens