Second Round of Youth Symposium for Peace & Tolerance | Herat – Afghanistan
The second round of Youth Symposiums for Peace & Tolerance, initiated by the Afghanistan Economic and Legal Studies Organization (AELSO) has been successfully organized in Herat province with the direct collaboration of national and international organizations. Youths, university professors and students, religious scholars, civil and human rights activists, cultural and social activists from different areas were among the participants of the event.
The speakers and participants of the program had deep discussions on different aspects of the youth’s role in educating and promoting the values of peace, prosperity, mutual acceptance and pluralism in the country. They all considered the culture of mutual acceptance as of crucial importance for ensuring peace and ending the ongoing war and violence.
Nisar Ahmad Akbari, university lecturer and expert at education department of Herat province, expressed his happiness for organizing such programs in Herat province and spoke about the important role youths can play in educating and promoting the values of peace, prosperity and mutual acceptance.
Mr. Akbari Added:
“There are two perspectives for achieving peace: Classical & Modern;
The classical or traditional perspective is unable to bring us peace, because today’s youth are the youth of the age of technology, and they will never be allowed to go back.”
The modern and upgraded view can not only bring us peace sooner, but will also highlight the important role young people can play in ensuring peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, and we will be able to get benefit from their fresh ideas for peace and mutual acceptance in the country as well.”
He expressed:
“Today’s youth should follow good culture and living habits so that we get used to such culture and traditions. The effective way to obtain such cultures is through education. Therefore, it is necessary for all young people to try hard; and continue their education to the highest possible levels, because educated people will create an educated and enlightened society, and at the end of the day, an educated society will undoubtedly prosper by having peace and prosperity.”
Mr. Akbari, while thanking the Afghanistan Economic and Legal Studies Organization (AELSO) for organizing such symposiums in Herat province and throughout the country, said:
“In order to better understand the values of peace, a subject called peace should be added in schools as well as university’s curriculum’s so the young generation is aware of the values of peace and will be able to contribute in ensuring peace while they are school students.”
Mr. Basher Tariq; our provincial fellow in Herat province thanked all the participants of the program, and briefed them about AELSO’s other initiatives and programs for promoting the values of peace, love and liberty.
He said:
“At such an important time, youths of Herat province are proud of successfully holding this symposium initiated by the Afghanistan Economic and Legal Studies Organization (AELSO). I hope AELSO will cooperate with us in holding such useful programs in the future as well so we will be able to introduce and promote the culture of tolerance, values of freedom, human rights and other values of an free and human society to very house and village of the province.”
In a part of the program, the participant’s got the chance to express their ideas and opinions about peace.
One of the participants said:
- “We are concerned about peace with the Taliban, because the Taliban are not the only armed group fighting in Afghanistan. There are several other groups that are involved in terrorist activities in the country. If the Taliban make peace, there are other groups that will replace them and continue to fight. Therefore, we should first make the people aware of peace and reconciliation and unite among ourselves and the various ethnic groups. In that case, no other group can create discord and war among the people of Afghanistan.”
Another participant of the program said:
Peace is of two types:
- Political peace 2. Social Peace
- “The Political Peace that we are currently negotiating and the government is going to make peace with the Taliban. Since the members of the negotiating team are selected politically, youths haven’t been given the chance to play an important role in this type of peace. But on the other hand, Social Peace is in youths hands. We can promote social peace among youths by organizing academic gatherings in universities and other places so that we can be mutually acceptable to each other and never allow anyone to separate us based on ethnicity, religion and language. We, the youth should be vigilant, and create mutual acceptance among different tribes.”
One of the participants said:
- “Peace is a sweet word that we hear from everyone every day, but those for whom this word is sweet, have never played a prominent role, and no one has ever asked them what they want from this group and the negotiations. So we need to first start with the public, understand their needs and from among them, select people to move the negotiations forward. The negotiations should take place within Afghanistan, not any other country where foreign players will surely try hard to end the process in their respected countries’ favor.”
Youth symposium for peace and tolerance – Herat Province, ended up by distributing certificate of participation for the participants of the program and wishing for a free, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan
