Youth Blogs
#YouthPeaceInitiative – Launch
Update; We are excited to share the launch of the #youthpeaceinitiative. The #YPI22_23 is a joint effort between #SocietyforYouth and the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy ICRD to facilitate capacity-building and strengthening workshops for students in Pakistan. The #YPI22_23 will utilize a flexible, critically engaging and competency-enhancing curriculum to help students identify pressing issues in their communities. It will help students learn about effectively utilizing tools and strategies of Peace Building and Conflict Resolution to organize around social justice issues.
The #youthpeaceinitiative is divided into three sections: a) Religion and Peace Building, b) Islam, Social Justice and Organizing, and c) Youth Leadership Development. The first portion focuses on introducing students to the peacebuilding role of religion, religious engagement, diversity of religious actors, developing a conflict-sensitive mindset, the prophetic tradition and engagement with minorities, and religious inclusivity for sustainable and comprehensive peacebuilding efforts.
The second portion puts a twin emphasis on the social justice values of Islam and the tradition of broad-based organizing. Students will learn about the importance of a justice mindset, social organizing and public well-being practices from the prophetic tradition. It will also introduce students to art of broad-based organizing, leadership, strategy, issue and action development, the practice of relational meetings, producing leaders, and developing public intuitions.
The third section, emphasizing leadership development, focuses on helping students become better leaders. Students will learn about self-improvement strategies, fostering an inclusive-growth-oriented mindset, effective strategizing for goals and targets, emotional intelligence, practicing deep mindfulness, and being productive team members. They will also learn about strategies and principles of Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation of projects.
We are deeply grateful to the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, and our local partners for making this intervention possible. The #youthpeaceinitiative will contribute in meaningful ways to promoting comprehensive and sustainable peace in Pakistan.