By Priya Parkash, YES 2014-2015, Pakistan, hosted by AFS in Camarillo, CA
A few months ago, two religious commemorations — the Hindu celebration of Holi and the Christian Easter holiday — were declared public holidays in the province of Sindh. The ensuing debate and dialogue made me realize how we, as a society, shy away from discussion on religion. The result is nothing but massive ignorance about other faiths. I, however, wanted to play my part and change that.
The incident took me back to my exchange year when I, as a participant of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES), attended the Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW) conference that was sponsored by Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation and led by Imam Mohamed Bashar Arafat, a pillar in the American Muslim community who has dedicated his work to interfaith dialogue. It was at this conference when I first realized that while religion may be a sensitive issue, dialogue can make interfaith harmony an achievable goal.
Building on what I had learned at the BUBW conference in the U.S., I decided to design an experiential workshop on interfaith harmony. Through a grant from the YES Alumni Network, I organized the Better Understanding for a Better World Conference – Pakistan on October 8, 2016, in Karachi, Pakistan with 35 YES alumni attending from across the country. Over the course of the next few months, these alumni will initiate small projects that put to action the key takeaways from the BUBW – Pakistan conference.
Shanza Sarfaraz, a YES alumna hosted by PAX in Oshkosh, WI, remarks, “Visiting the Hindu temple, or Mandir, was the most beautiful part of the whole experience. Not only did I get to learn about the rituals and festivities, I also cleared age-long misconceptions about worship in Hinduism. Moreover, the Navratri festival decorations were stunning, and the environment was serene.”
The conference comprised of a panel discussion, leadership sessions, expert speakers, training of trainers, and visits to a few places of worship. We were honored to have knowledgeable expert speakers like Dr. Abdul Muhaiman who is an alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program, Mr. Abbas Hussain, Dr. Amana Raquib, Firasat Rizwana Siddiqui, and Umme Kulsoom who is an alumna of the YES program. They spoke of the practice of religion and faith in a pluralistic society with the objective of promoting tolerance, mutual respect, and an awareness of common values.
Participants also visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Shree Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple where they engaged in a discussion with the priest and the Maharaj. The Maharaj taught the group about Hindu values and ways of practice. The participants heard traditional stories about Hindu mythology and saw Hindu worship rituals.
Another participant, Muzammil Shaikh, a YES alumnus hosted by CIEE in Moorhead, MN, says, “It was my first time visiting a temple. The colors, the aroma, and the history absolutely fascinated me. The session with the Maharaj was very important as we got to learn the culture and the stories of various Gods. I felt very welcomed and it was a privilege to get a chance to be a part of this event.”
BUBW-Pakistan may be one step along the way but together we are the leaders and we are determined to create a more peaceful future for ourselves and for the generations to come; a safe world where we will never look down on someone based on their religion, race, creed or caste. I am now looking forward to the follow-up projects that the 35 trained YES alumni will initiate to spread the message of interfaith harmony and peaceful co-existence.
Click here to learn more about the BUBW – Pakistan conference.
