The PU Institute of Social and Cultural Studies. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE: The Punjab University Institute of Social and Cultural Studies has launched a comprehensive project to promote tolerance among students.
The initiative is called Let Tolerance Be Our Virtue and a seminar was held to launch it. PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Mueen Nasir, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean Prof Dr Zakria Zakir, Associate Professor Dr Rubeena Zakir, faculty members and a large number of students were present.
The tolerance campaign was launched to counter the effects of hate speech through social media. It was observed that Pakistan had faced many unfortunate incidents and people around the world had also faced the issue. The campaign identified that many had fallen prey to hate speech on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender and cultural indifferences.
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To mitigate this issue, PU ISCS students, on the directives of Director Prof Dr Zakria Zakir, launched a social media campaign through a Facebook page.
The team also aims to use other social media such as like twitter and Whatsapp.
Addressing the seminar, PU VC Dr Zafar Mueen Nasir said this was a noble cause and every student of PU must play a role in addressing disharmony in society. “We must respect other’s thoughts and forgive mistakes.”
Dr Zakria Zakir said that Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, in collaboration with many government departments and the private sector, was playing a leading role in combating social evils. “We want Pakistan to be seen as a violence-free country. We must take care of human and animal rights in the country”. He said ISCS students were engaged in a number of positive activities and they were actively solving social problems.
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On the occasion, Dr Rubeena Zakar talked ISCS students’ participation in an international competition called Peer to Peer Facebook Global Digital Challenge: Promoting Narrative of Tolerance among Students. ‘The Public at large is welcome to become part of this campaign which is intended to create a space for the alternative voices, preach and promote tolerance; and practice empathy and kindness.”
Mudassir Mustafa is the campaign coordinator who will be by his consisting of Izaz Hyder, Momina Iqbal, Nabiha Shahram, Uroosa Yousuf Zain-ul-Abidin, Zunaira Khalid, Dr Anum Khursheed and Dr Zeeshan Ali Shad.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2017.
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