Saadia Khalid
Islamabad
In order to explore Pakistan away from the headlines, Offscreen Expeditions has sent six aspiring British students, aged between 18-21, to participate in the ‘journey of a lifetime to Pakistan’.
Going beyond ‘cricket, curry and terrorism’ — the three words commonly associated with Pakistan in their country — and will create a first-hand portrait of Pakistan to educate and inspire their peers in the UK.
The talented group of photographers, artists, musicians and a fashion designer will focus on challenging important issues faced by today’s youth in the UK and Pakistan such as access to education and employment, terrorism and gang culture. The group members included the names of Kyle, Rukia, Ruweyda, Elliott, Noor and Fayyadh.
After a successful visit by Pakistani students to the UK this summer, Offscreen Expeditions, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation working in partnership with the British Council, chose the team to develop UK-Pakistan relations beyond common misperceptions. The group has travelled across the country meeting students, artists, social entrepreneurs, imams and politicians.
“Our perception about Pakistan has changed altogether. People here are really peaceful and hospitable. Our journey in Pakistan was nothing but an eye opener where we got to know about the real picture of the country contrary to what has been portrayed in media,” said one of the participants.
Another participant said that she knew Pakistan only with reference to terrorism but after visiting Pakistan we all came to know that there are many things to admire about in Pakistan which included the century’s old civilization of Gandhara, truck art, buildings from Mughal era and very peaceful people.
Offscreen Expeditions Director Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop explains: “This year Pakistan has seen a lot of media attention, from the floods, to the cricket scandal to the devastating impact terrorism has had on its people and culture.
By taking the young community leaders of tomorrow to Pakistan, they have been able to form their own views and help build understanding between young people in both countries.”
In Mirpur, a region with strong links to the UK, the six have visited a madrassa. There they have met students and imams to debate the different interpretations of Islam, and explore how a minority of scholars have manipulated Islam to justify violence.
The students have also visited some Mirpur-based social action projects. The projects, run through the British Council’s Active Citizen programme, are successful initiatives that support young vulnerable people in AJK and provide them with alternative spaces away from negative influences they may be exposed to.
The UK students have shared ideas with their Pakistani peers and considered how they can learn from the work in Mirpur to take control over opportunities and help make a difference in their own communities.
The project sought to help young people in Britain and Pakistan develop skills, opportunities and education as positive alternatives to becoming involved in gangs, drugs, terrorism and anti-social behaviour. They have learnt to communicate their positive visions of their communities’ future with confidence and impact, using their creative skills to help get their message across.
The team have created a multimedia travelogue of their experiences which will be accessed through the award-winning interactive website (http://www.offscreenexpedition.com), engaging thousands of their peers across Britain and the world. The students will also help create innovative online and interactive educational resources, ensuring the expedition’s positive legacy among young people worldwide.