Aawaz SPO Peshawar Cosponsored GoZEST event:
GoZEST was a Pakistan’s first multiple location, five days residential learning, tourism and Cultural festival where youth from all over the Pakistan interacted and networked with each other. Leading personalities from the world of business, development, politics, academia and culture participated in this amazing event which was held from 21st Sept 2016 to 25th Sept 2016 in Galyiat. Reham Khan was the Chief Guest in inauguration ceremony.
The focus of the event was on:
• To provide the young people of Pakistan with a platform to discuss national challenges towards Democracy, Education, Peace & Harmony and advocate for meaningful youth participation in decision/policy-making & accountability processes.
• To Experience an inter-cultural dialogue; to promote national integrity and to celebrate the vast cultural and religious diversity, for bringing the youth spirit and festivity.
• To empower the youth with skills and tools to synthesize innovative, principled and practical means to be active and responsible citizens of their society
On one hand, youth are the agents for social change, economic development and technological innovation. On the other hand, the young people of Pakistan are the most vulnerable group to experience social, economic, and even political issues including being trapped into extremism and fundamentalism. Therefore, they need to be engaged, sensitized and mobilized for promoting inter-cultural dialogue, interfaith, harmony and promotion of Tourism and Culture. Participants took part in plenary and syndicate sessions, and engage in activities and simulations that facilitate learning of essential skills needed to excel in our challenging local and global environment. Pakistan is a country which, comprises of brilliant youngsters; it is having the diversity of cultural heritage and natural beauty, whereas, it comprises of wide range of religions, castes, and ethnicity. This is also our misfortune that our young generation is not being provided with the prospects to reconnoiter the cultural values. They are unaware of the cultures of their very own country’s different parts; thus, they have misapprehensions and archaic beliefs about others’ faiths and norms. Young people of Pakistan have potential and aspirations to participate fully in development process.