KARACHI: Over 3,000 school children from Pakistan and India are getting ready to use their pens to break the ice between the two belligerent neighbours which have shared a very frigid relationship in the past.
Yet again, the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) in collaboration with Routes 2 Roots, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation, is all geared up for what they dubbed a “round two of Exchange for Change.” Under this initiative, around 3,500 children between the ages 10 and 14, from 17 schools across Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai will exchange letters for twelve months, after which there will be cross-border visits. The formal launch of the programme was announced during a press conference at the Marriot Hotel on Monday.
“Our stories are the same - we just need to share them,” said CAP’s executive director Swaleha Alam Shahzada. “When we took this initiative as a 16-month-long pilot project in 2010, we believed that this was one small step towards enabling our next generation to build bridges with our neighbouring country.”
She explained that both organisations launched the pilot project in 2010 as an interactive initiative which linked 2,400 school students from 10 schools across Karachi, Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai. Shahzada said a continuous exchange of letters, postcards and photographs along with cross border visits to Delhi and Lahore had helped to dispel stereotypes in children’s minds and encouraged them to form their own opinions. “The analysis of the pilot project revealed that perceptions had changed in around 54 percent of the participants after it concluded.”
Pakistani popstar Ali Zafar, who happens to be India’s third-most googled singer, is eager to lend his support to the initiative. He was present at the launch and said that it will take time to break perceptions that have been drilled into children’s heads. He added that the future of the relationship between the two countries depends on what the current generation feels about their neighbours. “Physical exchange programmes will provide schoolchildren ample opportunities to exchange their thoughts. This is a great idea and I’m here to support it.”
The singer and actor was not the only superstar supporting the initiative - a promo video was screened at the press conference in which Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla congratulated both the organisations for the Exchange for Change programme. “[This] wonderful programme would encourage friendships across the border. I wish them all the very best.”
For those participating in the programme, the idea of students crossing the border is an opportunity for a lifetime. “I think it is a good way to unite again and stop the fighting that has been going on all these years,” said Zaha Bhagat, a student from Indus Academy, Karachi, who was participating in the programme.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (7)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@ Areebah ...
I am the last person to bicker over these silly things, but it just baffles me and irritates me when I see such a positive story for a change and people working so hard in the background for positive peace between the two countries through this initiative. The future generation is interacting with each other, what could be better than this.. and then i see a comment from @Jism spoiling the whole positivity and apparently wasting his time by senseless child like competition, i said this very realistically that if @Jism doesnot find us capable enough then why is he wasting his time on this forum... If you cannot contribute something positive, then don't be here man . Simple
Dear @jism and @Malik - the kids are taking on pens and trying to give chance to sanity, the grown ups choose to bicker over nothing? Let's shake hands and make up, oki? :)
"And you are right (sarcastic laugh) …200 million is nothing , just a small number of people,peanuts". and if you want to talk about numbers, the numbers matter the least, be it 200 million or billion, a country like Israel has achieved more than what Pakistan has, and it will take decades for Pakistan to achieve what Israel has achieved. just with a population of 7 million. its not about millions and millions, its about the strengths and the attitude, Israel has it and Pakistan lacks it. technologically Israel is far ahead, and having better relations with them has been more beneficial and will certainly be more beneficial than the liberal visa agreement with Pakistan, we can use their advanced farming, medical, space and other technologies to help our people and reduce the poverty. how will Pakistan help when it itself is struggling to grow,and the talk of technology is a distant dream.
@Malik: when dd i ever say that i want to live with animosity? the animosity exists because of the foolish politicians and the military. and until those who wield the power change their minds, the talk of peace will only be a paper work and nothing more. it's not he size nor the population, it s more about determination and attitude towards peace. we have territorial disputes with china, yet there s no insurgency in the disputed territories there, nor the Indian army is carrying out what you may call as 'brutal oppression'. have you ever heard of any news regarding any kind of oppression of Indian army in disputed territory?...no, this clearly tells that even Indian army is for peace, and china stands by peace, and both have vowed to resolve the issues through dialogue, on the other hand, Pakistan says that it wants peace and is ready to talk on Kashmir, but ,the very next day insurgents are caught trying to infiltrate from across the border,shows the commitment to peace when Pakistani politicians say that they want peace, we have better chance of existing peacefully with china than with Pakistan. and peace with china is more beneficial economically, in the long run,we will be depending more on china for peace than on Pakistan, to a certain extent, we are already working with china for stability and peace in the Indian ocean.
it was never about 200 million or billion, you are the one who concluded that way, it is more about the strengths of nation, japan is still smaller and far away, yet our relations with them have been more beneficial than it is with Pakistan.
the fact is that Pakistan cannot deliver on what it promises, forget about upholding its promises to other nations,the politicians have failed to deliver there promises to the common Pakistani people, in such kind of scenario, how can you expect peace? Pakistani leaders are yet to form a proper vision for their country,politicians talk peace while the military talks of nuclear weapons and the security agency talks of insurgency.
@Jism This is the most absurd argument I have heard in recent times. So what you are saying is that you are fine with a neighbouring country with 200 million people living in it, majority of those by the way are young people, who are going to grow old in the next 20,30 years and become heads of families. And you are willing to spend another 60 years of animosity with these enraged neighbours next to you. You are saying that Lets mend relations with China,they have 1 billion people and are going to develop into THE superpower of the future. And you are right (sarcastic laugh) ...200 million is nothing , just a small number of people,peanuts. Your big brother Russia is 141 million by the way... Way to go man, you really are taking good care of your future generation !!!
it would have been great if the same was done with china, we have lot to learn from china; if India and china bond together, it will be the greatest moment in china's and India's shared history.We have to look forward to china now., as Pakistan, by all means, will not emerge as a strong nation even after 2 decades from now, and china is already leading the world. Bonding with Pakistan will not yield any significant economic or technological or any kind of breakthroughs, today's youth yearn for power, growth, success, recognition, progress,stability etc, and Pakistan is still struggling to decide what is good for it, china has already made significant breakthroughs. Pakistan is caught up in the debate of secularism or Islamic; south Asian or central Asian, with Islamic countries or western powers, traditional dress of south Asia or Arabic burqa's and the list goes on.
On with Pakistan, this is just another program like many others, it doesn't make much of a difference,cause those who rule have don't have a broad vision, and until the rulers and the military of Pakistan changes its views, these things are worthless.
Its a step in the right direction and I'll take this route over exchanging nuclear bombs any day.