The Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) welcomed over 130 Pakistani alumni of U.S. government-funded exchange programs at a conference held in Islamabad on Saturday, October 13.

The PUAN New Alumni Conference for Young Professionals, under the theme “Creating Lifelong Partnerships,” introduced newly returned exchange students to PUAN activities, trainings, and grant opportunities provided to its members with the support of the U.S. Mission in Pakistan.

The U.S. Embassy’s Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs, Christopher Fitzgerald, highlighted the transformative power of exchange programs and people-to-people ties in advancing shared goals by Pakistan and the United States. Mr. Fitzgerald also paid tribute to Sabika Sheikh, a Pakistani exchange student killed at a school shooting while studying in the United States, said “she was a bright and positive young woman who was loved and respected by her friends and family in Pakistan and U.S.”  The participants of the conference also honored the memory of Sabika by writing messages of love and prayers.

Recipients of the prestigious U.S. State Department’s Emerging Young Leaders Award, Raj Kumar Gujar and Dania Hassan, encouraged the young alumni to utilize their energies to serve their communities and transform the lives of people around them.

Sana Mahmood, captain of the Pakistan National Women’s Basketball team and former captain of the Pakistan National Football Team, also shared her story to inspire and motivate the conference participants to work hard towards achieving their goals.

Digital Rights Activist, Usama Khilji educated the alumni on the basics of cybersecurity, including data protection and good social media hygiene to protect one’s self from hacking, bullying, and viruses.

CEO of FACE – Foundation for Arts Culture and Education, Zeejah Fazli was also present at the conference to screen the trailer of the award-winning documentary film, “Indus Blues.”  The film explores centuries-old musical traditions of Pakistan and their challenges to survive in the modern world. Mr. Fazli emphasized the need to preserve the musical heritage of Pakistan.

The participants of the conference join a network of over 25,000 alumni of various overseas and in-country exchange programs supported by the United States.  Each year the U.S. government invests more than $40 million in exchange programs for Pakistani citizens to visit and study in the United States.  Over 1,000 Pakistanis participate each year in high school, undergraduate, graduate, and professional U.S.-sponsored exchanges.  Since the alumni network began in 2008, Americans have provided more than 18,000 college scholarships for Pakistani students.

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