Preaching tolerance: International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination celebrated

Speakers urge people to shun biases and focus on peace, harmony.

PESHAWAR:

In order to discourage all kinds of discrimination and sensitise youth towards the elimination of racial discrimination, stage dramas were performed at Islamia College and the University of Peshawar (UOP) on Saturday.

The dramas were staged to commemorate the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on March 21 each year.

Organised by the Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation in conjunction with Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), the events were attended by Professor Dr Anwar Alam of the social sciences department, senior professor at Islamia College Raza Khalil, senior coordinator for PEAD Shagufta Gul, and students from different departments.

Addressing participants, Dr Alam said racial discrimination had no place in the country’s social setup. “We have to discourage all kinds of prevailing discrimination in society,” he added.

During the event, role plays were followed by group discussions revolving around contemporary forms of racial discrimination that exist in society. Actors played a variety of roles to sensitise the audience, who came from different parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

A message of peace, love and harmony was promoted in the performances. Additionally, speakers shared their views on how discrimination is given form through differences in cast, creed and faith. They maintained Islam was a religion of peace and harmony, and that no one is allowed to treat any other human being differently on the basis of race and status.

Professor Dr Raza Khalil said even though discrimination could be considered a natural part of human behaviour, it was time to encourage younger generations to rid society of it altogether. Sharing their views, students said education and democracy were the means to fulfil this end. Participants lauded the initiative set in motion by the PEAD foundation and GHRD.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2013.