One Step Forward...

This article for originally written for The Indo-Pak Lighthouse Project and the original article can be found HERE

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Having stereotypes is a very natural phenomenon. Over years, many psychologists and socialists have tried to theorize a framework where we can reduce such attitudes and behaviors. There are many frameworks that work around how prejudice and a simple thought about “the other” can ultimately lead to not just discrimination but abuse and violence. History is the testament of the power that our thoughts have to either bring about peace or violence. Needless to say, in the Indo-Pak context, to this day, there are political bouts; however, not every single person hates an Indian or a Pakistani. Across borders we see many apolitical campaigns and initiatives which are trying to reconcile the differences.
Through my writing today I want to focus on the initiatives and projects on the Pakistani front where people are trying to capture not just the similarities and promoting peace but also, are trying, actively to reconcile the differences, not just between Pakistani’s and Hindus but also between humans.

Rabtt - Connect, Educate, Evolve

Rabtt is a social enterprise seeking to build a more empathetic society by developing and imparting a holistic education experience that fosters 21st century skills. Rabtt - that stems from the Urdu word “Raabta” which literally translates into “connections” seeks to build closely knit communities by imparting empathy among them. A rigorous year long program for Public and low coast students not only engages them to foster empathy, but also critical thinking, creativity and self-confidence. Building connections among different sectors of the society, Rabtt empowers undergraduates to become mentors for the students and understand each other without barriers.

Their cross-sectional approach towards education covers both public and private sectors, bridging the gap between two. The independent series of workshops couples with trainings provides individuals an opportunity to unlearn and learn from each other.

Following the multiple intelligence models and encouraging participatory learning, Rabtt fosters leadership abilities among students and mentors, where they take charge of their decisions.
Rabtt continues to grow as a young dynamic team of individuals who are not only talented, but also adamant on revolutionizing education in Pakistan by reaching one student at a time

The History Project - De-stereotyping History Education

The History Project is a non-profit non-government organization on a mission to help young impressionable minds learn to identify biases and stereotypes by juxtaposing contrasting textbook history narratives and by making history education fun. Join us.

They envision a future punctuated with empathy and tolerance; a society aware of the humanity of their former proverbial enemies. They are working to create a society capable of identifying biases and stereotypes, and aware that there is always another side to every story.
This initiative researches history textbooks, and places narratives of a trans-national, shared history side by side, to highlight the commonality of our past, and the contrast in its perception. Asking questions to highlight embedded biases and activities geared towards understanding competing perspectives leave a long lasting impact on students. Supplementing materials with illustrations, the history project aims to make the content more engaging for our readership.

My Voice Unheard - Giving voiceless, the Voice

My Voice Unheard is a humanistic project that aims at bringing a counter-narrative to the uni-dimensional and clichéd image of Pakistan through self-expression.

My Voice Unheard, appreciates and encourages the efforts of great men, women, young individuals by acknowledging their work and life. They believe that everybody has a story to tell which can change negative perceptions and break stereotypes. The project hence, aims at bringing together people by breaking the barriers that have led to the “Otherization”.

The project primarily focuses on collecting, archiving and highlighting biographies, stories and life experiences of people who have dedicated their lives to change and social responsibility. My Voice Unheard writes history of individuals in its present form and aims to conserve and share it on an international forum in order to re-image Pakistan.  It is an initiative for the people, by the people of Pakistan. With a positive bias, we are working on compiling and publishing a coffee table book on short biographies and memoirs of Pakistani men and women specifically for the international audience for awareness about the paramount of work, knowledge and wisdom that these nationals have.
For them it is time to reclaim the land that has nurtured people of diverse ethnicities, cultures and religions for centuries but who’s identity has now been suppressed under violence and extremism alone.

Citizen’s Archive of Pakistan

The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural and historic preservation, operating in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. They seek to educate the community, foster an awareness of our nation’s history and instill pride in Pakistani citizens about their heritage.
CAP has focused its attention on the tradition of oral storytelling in Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of such narratives in a dialogue on national identity. The organization has three main goals: to preserve and provide access to the archive, to build and support educational programs, and to develop educational products based on the testimonies collected.4

They are passionate about sharing Pakistan’s stories with the educational outreach programs and the thousands of visitors who attend their festivals, and exhibitions. Their archives, exhibits and galleries change and grow as their understanding grows, and they strive to share their knowledge in original and exciting ways.

Their vision is to develop CAP as the foremost museum and heritage center of Pakistani history, photography, culture, literature and historical documentation demonstrating the strength and spirit of Pakistan from the perspective of a citizen. Each exhibit and gallery tells important stories about the country and provides an engaging and thought-provoking window into the nation’s past, present and future.

My aim in sharing these ventures is to highlight the fact that all of us are trying to initiate collaboration, building connections and breaking stereotypes, ultimately to gain happiness and contentment as individuals and as a society. However, everybody at the same time tends to be working in siloes of their own, where most of the time, the communal benefit that we all aim to, is lost in grudge and jealousy. As long as we all work towards a positive contribution to our societies, I think it doesn’t matter if there is competition or no competition. People at both borders in Pakistan and India are trying to build connections, revamp history, and reduce stereotyping. However, if we do it collectively, the communal benefit could increase exponentially. Hence, the importance of collaboration and awareness, particularly stands out in all strategies that we adopt to make this place a better society where human life is valued.