Faiz Ghar displays letters urging cross-border harmony

IA Rehman touched by exchange of letters between children of India and Pakistan

LAHORE: An exhibition, showcasing letters between children from either side of the Pakistan-India border, is underway at Faiz Ghar.

The exhibition is a collaborative effort of Aaghaz-e-Dosti and Hum Sab Aik Hain – both nongovernment organisations which aim to cultivate the message of peace through cross-border activities.



According to Aaghaz-e-Dosti Convener Raza Khan, the exchange of letters was started by Indian students who sent solidarity cards over the Gulshan-e-Iqbal tragedy on Easter in 2016. In response, Pakistani students sent cards to their counterparts on Diwali. In return, they received more communication from across the border students.



One of the letters on display was by Nesa Devgan, the daughter of film stars Ajay Devgan and Kajol.  “We share cultures, languages, and other than this, we share a long history. We share much more than any other neighbouring country does. Love you Pakistan!”

Another letter by Muskan Ahmed, says, “I want the governments of both countries to live together peacefully.”

Meanwhile, Urooj Salman, from a private school in Youhanabad, writes that India and Pakistan should live with love, peace and harmony, even if the people come from different religions. “We all are humans first,” she writes.

Speaking about the initiative, Peace and Human Rights Advocate IA Rehman emphasises the importance of harmony between India and Pakistan.

He says it is heartening to see children talk about such issues. “These young souls will take our struggle for peace forward. Both Pakistan and India need to understand the importance of humanity, love, and peace. I feel positive when these pure souls take this word forward, wholeheartedly, and without any greed,” he adds.



Aaghaz-e-Dosti aims to eradicate mutual hatred and suspicion to create unwavering bonds of peace and friendship between the two countries. According to its spokesperson, it is because the organisation believes that miscommunication, or lack of communication, has helped sustain the conflict in the past.

“To meet our objective, Aaghaz-e-Dosti has taken several initiatives. These range from interactive sessions in schools to public demonstrations, from art-based initiatives to writing articles and issuing statements to disseminate the misrepresented voice across the border, he says.

He adds Aaghaz-e-Dosti seeks to enhance people-to-people relations. It also hopes to become a medium to discover and recognise the misrepresented reality on the other side of the border.



Aaghaz-e-Dosti was started in 2012 by Mission Bhartiyam, an India-based youth organisation. It has collaborated with several organisations in the past, but became a joint initiative of Mission Bhartiyam and Pakistan-based Hum Sab Aik Hain from May 2017.

Hum Sab Aik Hain is an organisation formed by a group of young social activists based in Lahore. The objective of this organisation is to promote peace and harmony among the masses by highlighting, advocating and organising movements to bring about sociopolitical and economic changes required for a peaceful society.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2017.