Fifty-six members of the newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) representing all 14 chapters of Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) met on January 21 and 22, 2023, in Islamabad to develop their annual engagement  and outreach plans.

Donald Blome, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, delivered the keynote address and lauded the volunteer leaders for making alumni network stronger.  “PUAN alumni claim many impressive achievements. This network finds innovative solutions to societal issues and works to create a safer, and more prosperous Pakistan,” Ambassador Blome said.  The Ambassador also thanked the alumni for their commitment towards PUAN, and for their contributions towards the lasting friendship between Pakistan and the United States.

Each of PUAN’s 14 chapters feature the leadership positions of President, Vice President, Exchange Ambassador and Youth Group Director, who are elected for two-year terms.  The NEC members also elected Aamir Khalil (IVLP alumnus, 2017, and President of PUAN Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter) as the network’s Country President.

The leaders brainstormed the theme for the next country project and underwent extensive training to develop their chapter plans.

The leaders attended seminars on how to move from budgeting to implementation to filing internal reports about chapter activities.  They also explored innovative ways to maximizing PUAN’s outreach to every nook and corner of the country by converting their internal reports into social media posts.

The U.S. Embassy’s second-ranking diplomat, Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer, and several other Embassy staffers interacted with the alumni leaders to learn about the leaders’ volunteer and professional work, and their outlooks for the future.  The meet-up concluded with a power-packed performance by Center Stage Alumni band Khumariyaan.