Peace Conference – October 21, 2012
The youth and women of Pakistan should be encouraged to seek a solution to the conflicts faced by the country.
It was stated by participants of conference, held at the Lahore College for Women University’s Gender Studies Department in collaboration with the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO).
The conference’s aim was to encourage people to seek peaceful solutions to conflicts in the country, promote justice, equality and social harmony through the participation of disadvantaged groups.Another objective was to make the youth, primarily students, part of the dialogue by making them aware of the facts, the statement said.
Neelam Hussain, the Simorgh Women Resource and Publication Centre executive coordinator opened the conference and talked at length about the history of wars.Humaira Sheikh, the Shirkat Gah’s Peace and Conflict Programme director, Dr Sabiha Mansoor, the vice chancellor and SPO Regional Director Salman Abid spoke in the event.
Over 400 students and representatives of various civil society organizations attended the conference.
At the end of the day’s proceedings, Suneha Theater group staged a play Navein Rukh (New Directions). The play touched upon the importance of peace and resolving conflicts. It also addressed discrimination against women and low spending on health and education sectors and the spending on military budgets.
