Success Story of CDI"Digital Diplomacy: Social Media Influencers Champion Cultural Peace and Inter faith Harmony"

On December 17, 2023, I successfully concluded my Community Development Initiative titled "Digital Diplomacy: Social Media Influencers Champion Cultural Peace and Interfaith Harmony" as a Global UGRAD Pakistan Alumni. 30 participants were selected through a competitive criteria where content creators applied for the opportunity. we received more than 100 forms. After careful delierations with the planning team we selected 30 deserving candidates. The majority of participants were social media content creators from universities in KP. It was incredibly fulfilling to witness these participants engage with our cultural heritage, tracing back to the Gandhara Civilization. The Takht-e-Bahi Buddhist monastery, A UNESCO world heritage site, stands as a valuable asset for our region, poised to become an icon of interfaith harmony and advocate for peace and coexistence. This philosophy drove the essence of my project, and I am immensely satisfied to have seen it through.

My proactive approach for the project included a visit to directorate of Archaeology for official permissions from Director Archaeology, Mr. Abdul Samad Khan (Also our Fulbright Scholar). A week before the event, i had a pre-event visit to the venue along with my logistics team, coordination with local authorities, understanding local laws, and establishing ethical guidelines shared with participants. One week before the event, I conducted an online session to discuss trip details and personally connect with the project's participants. The excitement among participants about exploring heritage sites, understanding history, and relating it to interfaith harmony and peace was palpable. As responsible citizens of Pakistan, the participants pledged to spread these messages, preserve ancient heritage sites, and raise awareness.

Drawing from my experience leading virtual projects under CDI, this in-person project posed different challenges, involving logistics and transport. I am delighted to have meticulously planned it with my team, achieving all the set benchmarks. The participants, young individuals aged 18-27 armed with cameras for peace and interfaith harmony, visited the iconic Buddhist monastery. They attended an interfaith session by Ms. Mehak Fatima Durrani, a lecturer at Peshawar University, and gained insights into the importance of this Buddhist monastery from the renowned archaeologist, Dr. Ghayyur Shahab.

In the beginning, a significant challenge, as always, is to unite and bond the participants into one unit for a common purpose. I designed ice-breaking activities where interactive games were played with the goal of creating a positive and energetic start to the event. The participants were divided into four teams and engaged in these ice-breaking events after introductions. We also provided small token gifts as a way of fostering positive competitive team spirit.

A guided tour, facilitated by Mr. Maaz Ali Khan, a conservation specialist at the Department of Archaeology, KP, provided a comprehensive experience. The collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology was made possible through the efforts of Dr. Abdul Samad, the Director of the department. Recently attending the Alumni Academy equipped me with valuable lessons in project design, community assessment, project management, ethical leadership, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion. I creatively integrated these aspects, solving various problems and maintaining positive involvement and empathy within my team, particularly during challenging situations.

Maaz Ali Khan from the Archaeological Department educated participants on preserving and maintaining cleanliness in iconic heritage sites. He also provided guidelines for proper conduct when visiting such places to ensure their sanctity remains intact. In adherence to these guidelines, we conducted our music program after the successful event on the lawn outside the Buddhist monastery. Participants received certificates of appreciation, while speakers were awarded shields and token gifts, which they gladly acknowledged.

During the interfaith Harmony session, Ms. Mehak Durrani Fatima included a whispering activity where participants whispered in each other's ears, and the final message differed significantly from the original. Through this exercise, participants learned the importance of better communication among different faiths to understand their true essence, rather than relying on hearsay. These ideas instilled a positive frame of mind among participants, and their interactive nature encouraged participation in every segment of the project.

In the end, participants gathered on the main lawn, where local artists presented folk songs and tales of the area. Participants enjoyed the performance and danced to the tunes. The participants also jammed with local artists, with one participant performing. Local cultural dance was spontaneously presented by the participants, joined by local visitors.

To conclude the day filled with learning and fun activities at the Buddhist monastery, which included a 300-step hike to the main stupa, we departed for the local exquisite Chapli Kabab at the Sabir Galaxy restaurant. Afterward, participants returned to the main drop-off point in Peshawar, singing along in the bus. The participants were extremely excited and gave me compliments on the meticulous arrangements and the knowledge they gained from the event. They also sent private messages expressing their interest in participating in such healthy activities in the future.

Now, I will compile the content, as we had a vlog, documentary, and photo competition, and the winners will be announced shortly after the submission deadline on December 20th. I have also included some footage from the memorable event in the Google Drive link in this post. Last but not least, I want to acknowledge the support of the Global UGRAD Pakistan team, IREX, and the US State Department, who have been extremely generous and cooperative, providing immense opportunities to alumni of USG programs such as Global UGRAD Pakistan. It is these opportunities that fulfill us with purpose and allow us to give back to the community. This is the basic tenet of Global UGRAD Pakistan, and as an alum, I have ingrained this learning in my life, which is paying off in projects like the one I undertook.