FAISALABAD: Deans and heads of departments of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Saturday congratulated student Rabia Faridi on being selected for the 2014 Youth Courage Award by the United Nations. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan presented a cash award of Rs125,000 to Faridi. She is to leave for the United States on Sunday (today) to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly session starting from September 22. She will also receive the 2014 Youth Courage Award at the event.
Addressing the UAF faculty members, Faridi said that in her speech at the UN, she would highlight the issues facing Pakistani women.
“I will also inform the session that Pakistanis stand against terrorism. There is no room in Islam for killing innocent people and attacking worship places. Islam is a religion that stresses the equality of humans regardless of their race and caste,” she said.
Dr Khan said the UAF was providing education to a large number of rural students. “Our rural population has a lot of potential that needs to be explored.
Rabia, too, belongs to a village on the outskirts of Samundri,” he said.
The VC said that a 1,000-bed hostel for girl students would be built at the university.
“Being an agrarian country, our progress is directly linked with the agricultural sector,” he said. Senior Tutor Prof Dr Aslam Pervez also congratulated Faridi.
“Rabia is a global youth ambassador of education for the UN. She is a student of MSc Honors (Plant Breeding and Genetics).
She had delivered a speech on women education at the Convention Centre, Islamabad, where UN Special Envoy for Global Education (former British prime minster) Gordon Brown was the chief guest. Her speech was highly appreciated,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2014.
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