The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP), in
collaboration with Routes2Roots (R2R), an Indian non-profit organisation working
for peace and dialogue between Pakistan and India, have successfully completed a fourteen month project ‘Exchange for Change: Pakistan India 2012 - 2013’. 3,500 students
from across Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh believe
that their stories across the two nations are the same and are worth sharing
with the general public to dispel misperceptions that prevail on both sides of
the border. To this end, CAP is undertaking a series of 3 exhibitions in
Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad where participating students of the Exchange for
Change project will share experiences and
lessons learnt from the 14 month initiative.
CAP and R2R believe that such exhibitions will further build upon the
relationships developed over the life of the project, leading to a positive
change in restructuring cultural misconceptions and inter-generational
conflict. It is believed that youth interaction and direct communication will
in time lead to a more informed and fundamental understanding of each other.
Exchange
for Change is an exciting initiative by CAP that aims at improving
relationships between school students in different countries. The program seeks
to help students across borders realize that dialogue is possible and
sustainable. Through cross-culture communication we have realized that students
can have a clearer understanding of their history, culture and life styles. CAP
believes that such interaction will in turn lead to a positive change and
eliminate cultural misconceptions and inter-generational
conflict.
Exchange
for Change was first launched in September 2010 between 2400 school children
from 10 schools in Karachi, Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai. After its spectacular
success the project was expanded in 2012 to 3500 school children from 17
schools in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. During
the fourteen-month life of the project, a sustained exchange of written, visual
and oral histories linked school children aged 10-14 years across the six
cities. The selected schools from across six major cities ensured a holistic
dialogue between students belonging to diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
The ‘Letters to the Past,’ series kicked off the project in
September 2012 during which students engaged in letter writing activities,
sharing their thoughts, values, hobbies and interests with each other. A
special emphasis was laid upon discussing historical and cultural facts so that
students were not only able to make friends across the border but also
participate in information exchange. Between December 2012 and February 2013, the ‘Photography Series,’ involved students in making postcards, greeting cards and collages
based on four themes: school life, food, festivals and marriages and historical
monuments. This endeavour enabled students to familiarize each other with the
history, culture and lifestyle. The ‘Oral History’ series was conducted
between February to April 2013, adding an audio-based dimension to the project.
Students interviewed their grandparents, collecting historical narratives about
various cities across Pakistan and India as well as their recollections of the
early years.
Speaking about this initiative, Swaleha Alam Shahzada, Executive
Director and Governing Board Member of CAP said: “As we have crossed borders through the
stories of these children, we stand to have proven that by appreciating
differences and celebrating similarities of the ‘other’ we can build bridges. The
second round of Exchange for Change marks another giant leap in our shared
history. Our stories are the same – we just need to share them!”
Tina Vachani, Founder of Routes2Roots said: “This program has been very close to my heart
and has given me immense satisfaction to see the growing friendships between
the children of the two countries. It is a great pleasure to see the growing
understanding between the students and change in perceptions and biases which
helps us to dream of a brighter future.”
Schools from Pakistan who participated in the
project included Mama Parsi School, BVS Parsi High School, AMI School, School
of Technical Sciences, The Trust School, The Citizens Foundation, Quality
Schools Foundation, Quaid-e-Azam International School, White House School and
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Public School. Indian participating schools are Gem Public School, Saupins School, The British
School, Adarsh Vidalaya, Shree Amulakh Amichand Bhimji Vividlakshi Vidyalaya, Guru Harikrishnan
School and Tagore International School.
About CAP:
The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural and
historic preservation, operating in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. We seek to
educate the community, foster an awareness of our nations history and instil
pride in Pakistani citizens about their heritage. Our organization has three
main goals; to preserve and provide access to the archive, to build and support
educational programs and to develop educational products based on the testimonies
collected. Our vision is to develop CAP as the foremost museum and heritage centre
of Pakistani history, photography, culture, literature and historical
documentation demonstrating the strength and spirit of Pakistan from the
perspective of a citizen.
About Routes2Roots:
Routes2Roots is a registered non-profit charitable
organisation, which endeavours to bring together people, cultures and values
across the SAARC countries, in particular India and Pakistan. Routes2Roots has
organized numerous programs across the country from artists from Pakistan and
other SAARC countries and have sent Indian Artists to these countries in a move
to enhance people to people understanding and make this region a peaceful
place. Routes2Roots has been actively engaged with ICCR, Delhi Tourism,
Rajasthan Tourism, J&K Tourism and other government and non-government
organizations. Routes2Roots are also a member of World Association of NGO’s New
York USA.
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