KARACHI: A two-day international conference “Diversity and Peace: Challenges for the Social Discourse” was inaugurated under Karachi University’s Faculty of Social Sciences on Tuesday, in which the role of academics and intellectuals in encouraging dialogue between different segments of the society was highlighted.
The conference is being held to focus on achieving a political accommodation of diversity and a culture of tolerance and harmony through a dialogue across all kinds of divides that are present in the country.
Various scholars and prominent intellectuals spoke at the occasion. They highlighted the importance of diversity, tolerance and harmony and talked about achieving these through bridges of cooperation, positive interaction, dialogue and mutual sharing rather than barriers and walls which cause mutual distrust and conflict.
In his keynote address during the inaugural session, Punjab University Professor Emeritus Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi said, “Academicians and intellectuals have a leading role in encouraging dialogue among different sections of society”.
“Dialogue among people of different lands and their governments is essential to accommodate diversity and pluralism,” Dr Rizvi went on, adding that the state was doing a commendable job by also making serious efforts for the promotion of dialogue and accommodation.
University of Karachi Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Ajmal Khan also spoke on the occasion. He said, “We cannot progress by criticizing our educational institutions,” adding that the country’s educational system had yet to choose right direction.
The vice chancellor welcomed all the foreign and national scholars and said that social sciences were no longer in isolation and had gained significant importance in the backdrop of political, social and economic events taking place in the world. He added that these changes were no longer limited by political, physical and natural boundaries.
Dr Ajmal further said that the need for the intellectual community to conduct critical debate on theories and practices of conflict resolution, intercultural harmony, peace and development has increased manifold.
“This conference will not only strengthen the ideology of Pakistan but will also unleash the process of meaningful academic discourse which can positively transform the mindset of our people and bring a qualitative change in our society, through a meaningful research in the field of social sciences,” said Dr Ajmal.
Higher Education Commission (HEC) Operations And Planning member Dr Ghulam Raza Bhatti spoke about the evolution of society and the progress made by human beings over the society, highlighting the advancement in technology. He said that smart products and artificial intelligence could never surpass human intelligence and therefore diversity and tolerance were the need of the hour.
Faculty of Social Sciences Dean Professor Dr Muhammad Ahmed Qadri remarked that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and respected all cultures and ideologies, citing the coexistence of Muslims, Hindus and Christians in the country as an example of unity.
The dean and the visiting Chinese University of Geosciences Associate Professor Dr Xiaoqing Xie presented their papers at the occasion. They highlighted the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying that the project reflected on the China-Pakistan strategic cooperative partnership.
They said that CPEC and One Belt One Road construction are closely linked. CPEC has played an exemplary role in One Belt One Road construction, and it will create more favorable external environment for CPEC constriction. Promoting economic growth and employment in Pakistan is possible by helping Pakistan to get rid of the plight of energy shortage, pushing bilateral economic, trade and employment cooperation promotion between China and Pakistan, the intellectuals commented.
Dr Olena Bordilovska from the Ukrainian Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University, while presenting her research paper, said that Ukraine, as one of the so-called NIS (New Independent States) is a bright example of both peace proclamations and security challenges, adding that, over the past 26 years, a lot of effort has been made to create a positive image of the country, to provide peace and harmony in its relationship with neighbors and to ensure nation-building on the basis of cultural diversity, social harmony and economic prosperity.
Paulina Fecht from the German University of Heidelberg, while presenting her research paper, said that the post-second world war era was a revolution in itself due to the emerging trend of reconciliation among the European states which was unprecedented in the past due to power politics. Franco-German peace process is a classic example of post-second world war period which ended up centuries-old rivalry between the two nationalist states and brought peace and stability in the region, she said.
Paulina Fecht went on to add that hostile relations between India and Pakistan were not centuries old but the clash of ideologies between the two young states have led the region towards wars in the past. “There is a great lesson for India and Pakistan in Franco German reconciliation model,” she said.
Dr Yahya Yesilyurt from the Turkish Kastamonu University, while presenting his research paper, said that due to Turkey’s geographical position, it will have the role of a coordinator, which will provide power to the region, and it will also be able to generate promising policies on a global scale. For this reason, the developing countries such as Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Indonesia have a share in the regional developments and contribution to the world peace, he further stated.
Foreign scholars praised Karachi’s hospitality and KU’s academic hospitality. “We are here as ambassadors of peace and harmony and would like to come again since we are overwhelmed with Pakistani hospitality’, said one of the visiting delegates.
Scholars from China, Turkey and Ukraine called for signing Memoranda of Understanding with University of Karachi on behalf of their national universities for the purpose of students/faculty exchange program.