Launch of Indo-Pak Calendar in New Delhi

PRESS NOTE

LAUNCH OF INDO-PAK CALENDAR AND DISCUSSION ON INDO-PAK FRIENDSHIP IN NEW DELHI

Despite similarities in several respects, the Indo-Pak relations have always been fluctuating. 2013 also saw several ruptures but despite these fluctuations, the bond that connects and shall always connect the people of the two countries has not gone. Every year, we, a people’s initiative, Aaghaz-e-Dosti (lit. Start of friendship), celebrate this bond with our “Calendar for Peace and Love”.

An initiative of India-based Mission Bhartiyam and Pakistan-based The Catalyst – TC and Centre for Youth Development Activities, Aaghaz-e-Dosti, aims to create unwavering bonds of peace and friendship between India and Pakistan. The bonds that will survive the vagaries of troubles times. But these bonds will not be artificial ones, they rest on the belief and claim that people of India and Pakistan not only share the same language, culture, values and challenges but also the desire for peace and friendship. It rests on the belief that if there are people on both sides of the border who cannot and do not want to forget the past and do not want others to forget it, there are also people who want to forget the past and not just move on but move along to create a new chapter in history…of friendship and brotherhood.

And so, every year, Aaghaz-e-Dosti launches “Calendar for Peace and Love” that would remind us every day about these people. The importance of this calendar is stated by Devika Mittal, convener of Aaghaz-e-Dosti from Mission Bhartiyam (India), “The Calendar with the paintings of an innocent and apolitical mind will remind us that mindsets have been constructed. Together with the beautiful dreams of the young and innocent, the Calendar also has messages from people who have been actively working to nurture these dreams.”

Aliya Harir, convener of Aaghaz-e-Dosti from The Catalyst – TC (Pakistan), remarked, “This calendar is a collection of shared dreams of peace and friendship. It serves as a hope shared by people who are just like us, in habit and struggle. With the turn of the pages to start a new month, the hope shall be renewed.”

The Calendar will be launched along with a discussion or “Sharing of hopes for a peaceful and friendly co-existence” in both India(New Delhi) and Pakistan (Islamabad). In the launch in New Delhi, people who have been working to strengthen the relations and students from Pakistan will share their experiences and vision. The discussion is open to anyone. 

To know about our launch last year, read http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/call-to-empower-peoples-voices-to-foster-indopakistan-peace/article4352842.ece

The details of the launch in New Delhi are:

 Date: 21st December 2013

Time: 2 to 5 PM

Venue: India International Centre, New Delhi

We invite your presence as we share our hopes and desire to create a new history of peace and friendship. 

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