Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) is currently running a project “Strengthening Network of Religious Youth Leaders for Democracy and Pluralistic Values in Pakistan” with support of National Endowment of Democracy (NED). The project seeks to engage youth from diverse youth groups belonging from different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab. The purpose of the project is to build capacity of youth as they are a critical target group within religious communities and society at large. The objectives of the project is to (1) Capacitate youth from religio-political groups for collaborative actions on democracy. (2) Strengthening Networks of Youth Advocates for Democracy that will support and advocate for democratic values & culture, inclusive society and peace within their communities.
The recent capacity building held in Karachi October 23 – 25, 2023, PEF trained 34 emerging Youth Advocates for Democracy from various sectors, including local media (television and radio), social media influencers, and local community activists aimed at nurturing the democratic spirit among the Pakistani youth.
Throughout the workshop, distinguished subject matter experts delivered insightful sessions, with Professor Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, (Dean of Faculty of Social Science and Education at SZABIST), Barrister Shahida Jamil, (Former Federal Minister for Law, Justice, Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs), Shams-ud-Din Shigri, (Islamic scholar, author and professor at University of Karachi) Mujtaba Rathore, (Executive Director of the Islamic Research Institute of Social Sciences (IRISS).
The closing ceremony of the workshop was graced by the presence of distinguished figures, including Worthy Ra’na Ansar Abbasi, (MQM Leader and former opposition leader Sindh assembly), Mazhar Abbass (Senior Journalist, Columnist at Jung & Geo group), Dr. Amir Tuseen (Renowned Scholar and Chairman of Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Committee), Allama Khalique Fareedi, (Religious Leader and Islamic Scholar), and Dr. Muhammad Asim, (Professor at the University of Karachi), who shared their invaluable insights on the workshop’s significance and the pivotal role of youth in advancing democracy in Pakistan.