Results Announced: 8th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is glad to announce results of selected and shortlisted paintings that will be displayed in this year’s peace calendar.

8^th Peace calendar is now scheduled to be released on 11^th January 2020 (Timing 6 to 8 PM) at India International Centre (Seminar Hall II & III, Kamladevi Block), Lodi Road, New Delhi.

Like every year, this was again a very difficult year to decide best paintings among all available beautiful paintings. You would believe that expressions of students in all paintings were quite emotional and colors of love, imagination, peace were filled in those. This selection was done through a process wherein primary screening was made by group members through providing points on each painting without letting them know name, class and schools. Secondary process was done where public votes were also invited. Both results made combined and put with core team members who decided final selections. Names and class and schools are being announced here now.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti also express its sincere thanks to all the schools and their faculties who motivated students to participate in this painting submission. We are also thankful to parents and families who definitely create an environment where their children can learn things that can contribute in making them as a more responsible citizen and in creating a more peaceful society.

We would also like to inform that as we receive many paintings and we use only total 24 paintings (12 selected and 12 shortlisted) in peace calendars, Aaghaz-e-Dosti team also intends to utilize all other paintings too to provide an opportunity and visibility to expression of other students also and in the year 2020, we would bring few such innovations.

Keep participating and keep expressing your thoughts through paintings, poems, stories etc. if it can foster Indo-Pak Peace and strengthen people to people relations. Aaghaz-e-Dosti is all yours and its platform is always available for all of you to write, share, create, participate and lead for Aaghaz-e-Dosti.

All the best and see you all in our scheduled peace calendar launch.

Runner-up Paintings: India

Medha Naveen , Class 6, Sishu Griha High School, Banglaore

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Vikas Pal, Class 12, PYDS Learning Academy, Dehradoon

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Avnee Singh, Class 11, Ecole Mondiale World School,Mumbai

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Shrey Thaper, Class 7, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Pahwara, Punjab

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Sirjan K., Class 7, Swami Sant Dass Public School, Phagwara, Punjab

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Nisha Khandelwal, Class 10, Gujrat Public School, Altadara, Vadodra, Gujrat

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Runner-up Paintings- Pakistan

Mahnoor Yousuf, Class 7, The Smart School (Al-Hasan Campus),Karachi

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Fatima Imran Malik, Class 8, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Girls,

Johar Town, Lahore

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Muhammad Abdullah Amin, Class 7, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Boys, Johar Town, Lahore

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Syed Ali Bukhari, Class 8, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Boys,

Johar Town, Lahore

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Ashkab Zaman, Class 7, Bacha Khan School, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunwa

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Quratulain, Class 6, Bacha Khan School, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunwa  

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Selected Paintings: INDIA

Kamaldeep Kaur, Class 11, DRV DAV Centenary Public School, Phillaur, Jalandhar- Punjab

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Anjna, Class 12, Gyan Mandir Public School, Delhi

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Ananya Agarwal, Class 12, The British School, New Delhi

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Jasleen Kaur, Class 11, Police D A V Public School, Ludhiana, Punjab

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Shefali Dash, Class 10, Sishu Griha High School

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Vikhyat Singh, Class 10, Hoerner College, Mahanagar, Lucknow

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Selected Paintings : PAKISTAN

 Areeba Akbar, Class 10, The Smart School (Al-Hasan Campus),Karachi

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Aliza Asif, Class 8, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Girls, Johar Town, Lahore

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Hassan Amiruddin Ansari, Class 8, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Boys, Johar Town, Lahore

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Ebaad, Class 7, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Boys, Johar Town, Lahore

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Uzair, Class 6, Bacha Khan School, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunwa

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Raja Muhammad Wajid, Class 7, Lahore Grammar School, Middle Section for Boys,Johar Town, Lahore

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Students and faculties from Indian side are invited to attend the event and to receive their certificates and token of appreciation during the program in Delhi.

Students and faculties from Pakistan side will be informed to attend the event in Pakistan as soon as schedule will be fixed for program. They will receive their certificates and token of appreciation during the program.

All students/faculties are requested to check spellings of their names and other information such as class and school. In case of any correction, please bring this to our notice as soon as possible as your certificates and all other reports, media release etc. will carry the above details.

All students/faculties from Indian side are requested to reach on time and in case of any query, kindly contact with Mr. Ravi Nitesh at 9958907799.

Delhi Calendar Launch: 11 JAN 2020, 6 PM, India International Centre

Issued by

Aaghaz-e-Dosti | aaghazedosti@gmail.com | www.aaghazedosti.wordpress.com

Press Release: Aaghaz-e-Dosti denounces war hysteria, welcomes Abhinandan

Press Release

Aaghaz-e-Dosti denounces war hysteria, welcomes Abhinandan

At a time when the relationship between India and Pakistan are dismal and there is a fierce culture of war mongering, we, Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a citizen diplomacy initiative appeals for peace and sanity. Through our work among the people, we assert that people on both sides demand and deserve peace. These recent happenings based on hostility and aggression have claimed the lives of soldiers who serve their country, protect it, affected the people living near the border and has also aggravated the hostility much beyond the border. It has become severe with a war hysteria that endangers the entire subcontinent.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti denounces any talk of war. War claims lives of the innocent, soldiers and civilians like, drains economies and only works to push back countries, their development. It is an impractical and even as ineffective step for a permanent solution. We believe that diplomatic and political engagements may not only prevent any war or war like situation, but would also bring fruitful results in terms of resolving conflicts.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti appeals with prime minister of India and prime minister of Pakistan to take immediate steps to prevent any further escalation and to take steps for peace and dialogue. In this regard, we also thank the Pakistan Government for releasing IAF pilot Abhinandan. We see it as a step of political maturity and in favor of the people of both countries.

Being an initiative that works mostly through peace education, Aaghaz-e-Dosti believe that any positive step from both sides would be welcomed wholeheartedly by people on both sides and this would not only result in to an instant step of peace, but will also be much meaningful when it will be looked in history as this step would ensure confidence of both prime ministers in a hopeful future, a future that would be safer, saner, free from violence and so a future of prosperity.

We believe that it can be done and governments on both sides are completely capable to do this. We believe that talking peace and taking actions for peace may be difficult than talking war, but would be more stable and notable. 

Issued by

Aaghaz-e-Dosti

An Indo-Pak Friendship Initiative

https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com

Appeal by People of India and Pakistan to stop ceasefire violations immediately and start dialogue

To:        

Prime Minister of India

Prime Minister of Pakistan

Respected Sir,

This is difficult time to see disturbances along Line of Control where reports are coming of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan and India that is resulting loss of lives of soldiers on both sides and also of civilians. It is also reported that people who are living nearby border areas are fleeing from their villages to save their lives.

It is said that this is first time when artillery used after the ceasefire agreement of year 2003. Reports are coming of civilians which include even school students who got stranded in their schools due to heavy shelling. Bunkers are being provided to villages. More than 400 incidents of violations have been recorded in this year 2018 only. Many schools have been closed, walls of schools and houses are damaged, agricultural fields are destroyed and studies are hampered. These all are in contrary to fewer such incidents in earlier years.  

We, who are concerned about these frequent violations see that role of diplomats and political leaders of both sides are extremely important and crucial in this time. Many think tanks and experts found that engagement through dialogues with each other always help in reducing numbers and intensity of such violations. Retired officers of security forces also claim that in the absence of any diplomatic engagement, armies of both sides are bound to answer each other in their own way.

We have example of effective engagements of both sides during the year 2003 when despite earlier present vicious atmosphere, Government of both sides together took the role for the verbally announced agreement that brought down numbers of incident sharply from 8376 incidents in 2002 to almost Nil incidents during 2004 and 2005 and then only fewer violations in years.    

We, who are citizens of India and Pakistan and support peace-building hereby appeal to Government of India and Pakistan:

• To start dialogue process between diplomats and political leaders of both sides immediately
•  To start frequent meetings of DGMOs of both sides immediately  
• To remove heavy shelling arms , artillery from front lines immediately
• To take immediate measures to stop ceasefire violations to protect lives of soldiers and civilians on both sides
• To bring a renewed ceasefire agreement by both sides in written form and with SoPs to guide security forces for steps to be taken
• To ensure safe living for border population, including opening of schools
• To provide compensation to farmers of both sides whose crops destroyed in shelling
• To provide special provisions , weightage and concessions to students whose studies affected due to shut down of schools for the reason of these violations

We appeal you with all hope that your effective steps would not only saves lives of people including soldiers, but would also develop a confidence among people on both sides that their leaders are capable to handle situation and care for people. We must remember that if dialogues can save even a single life, we must go on with dialogue without any ego. We are well wishers of democratic values and we want to see a developed, more engaged and peaceful South Asia which is not possible without efforts by Govt. of Pakistan and India considering Indo-Pak line as one of the heaviest military deployment and volatile region.   

Endorsed by people of India and Pakistan:

Aabida Ali	Activist	Karachi, Pakistan
Abha Bhaiya	Activist, feminist	Himachal Pradesh, India
Admiral L Ramdas	Former Chief of the Naval Staff, President Emeritus PIPFPD – Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy and Patron – India-Pakistan Soldiers Initiative for Peace	Alibagh, India
Ali Abbas	Social Worker	Hyderabad, India
Aman Gupta	Software Developer	Hyderabad, India
Ammara Ahmad	Writer	Lahore, Pakistan
Amit Ranjan	Faculty Member	National University of Singapore
Anil Kr Singh	Academician	Faizabad, India
Anuradha Bhasin	Editor- Kashmir Times	J&K, India
Asha Hans	PIPFPD	India
Atiqa Shahid	Hum Sab Aik Hain	Lahore, Pakistan
Beena Sarwar	Peace Activist, Journalist, Editor-Aman ki Asha	USA
Bharat Bhushan	Journalist	New Delhi, India
Bhargavi	PIPFPD, India	Delhi, India
Bhawani Shanker Kusum	Sarvodaya Worker	Jaipur, India
Bina Sarkar Ellias	Writer, editor, publisher, international gallerie	Mumbai, India
Brig (Retd) Rahul Bhonsle	Retd Brigadier	Delhi, India
Chaman Lal	(Retd) Professor of JNU, Former President JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) and Fellow (Senator), Panjab University, Chandigarh	Punjab, India
Chintan Girish Modi	Peace educator	Mumbai, India
Devika Mittal	Convener-India, Aaghaz-e-Dosti	New Delhi, India
Dr. Dhananjay Tripathi	Assistant Professor, South Asian University	New Delhi, India
Dr. Jagjit Singh Sandal	Retd Officer, Airport Authority of India	Hosiarpur, Punjab, India
Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi	ED-PVCHR	Varanasi, India
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat	Activist, Columnist and Founder – Jammu Kashmir RTI Movement	Srinagar, J&K,India
Dr. Sandeep Pandey	Activist, Founder-Asha Parivar	Lucknow, India
Dr. Walter Fernandes	Senior Fellow, North Eastern Social Research Centre	Guwahati, India
Harsh Narayan	Filmmaker & Creative Director	New Delhi, India
Hasnain Ashraf	Advocate, High Court	Punjab, Pakistan
Hayat Amiree	Social Worker	Delhi, India
Jatin  Desai	Journalist	Mumbai
Jawed Naqvi	Freelance Journalist	New Delhi, India
Kamayani Bali Mahabal	Advocate, Activist	Mumbai, India
Kapil Kak	Air Vice Marshal (retd), Member-Track-2 initiatives on India-Pakistan Relations	Delhi, India
Kavita Krishnan	Secretary-AIPWA	India
Lalita Ramdas	Citizen – Educator – Peace Activist	Alibagh, Raigad, India
Meena Menon	Journalist	Mumbai, India
Mohd Tahseen	Human Rights Activist	Lahore, Pakistan
Nadeem	Social Activist	Lucknow, India
Obaid	Activist, Journalist	Lucknow, India
Pamela Chaterjee	Activist	Almora, Uttarakhand,India
Prakarsh	Social Activist	Gurgaon, India
Prof Kamal Mitra Chenoy	Former Prof, JNU	New Delhi, India
Prof Anuradha Chenoy	Former Prof, JNU	New Delhi,India
Rafat	Social Activist	Lucknow, India
Ravi Nitesh	Founder-Mission Bhartiyam	Delhi, India
Raza Rumi	Editor Daily Times/Faculty Cornell Institute for Public Affairs	Newyork, USA
Reema Abbasi	Journalist and writer	Karachi, Pakistan
Ruchhita Kazaria	Aarcee Enterprises Advertising	Kolkata,India
S. K Singh	Social Activist	Faizabad, India
S. N. Subba Rao	Veteran Gandhian	Delhi, India
Saeeda Diep	Peace activist and executive director- Institute for Peace and Secular Studies (IPSS)	Lahore, Pakistan
Salima Hashmi	Artist, Educator, Curator, Writer	Lahore, Pakistan
Samir Gupta	IT Professional	Ghaziabad, India
Sarita Kumari Ghanerao	South Asian Women’s Network , Ex VP-All India Rajput Women’s Organisation	Pali, Rajasthan, India
Satyapaul	Secretary General- South Asian Fraternity	New Delhi, India
Sehyr Mirza	Independent Journalist	Lahore, Pakistan
Shahnawaz Alam	Social Activist	Lucknow, India
Shailendra	Journalist	Lucknow, India
Sharad Patel	Social Activist	Lucknow, India
Sheema Kermani	Founder-Tehreek-e-Niswan	Karachi, Pakistan
Sheharyar Riizwan	Journalist	Lahore, Pakistan
Sonya Fatah	Assistant Professor, Ryerson University School of Journalism	Canada
Sushobha Barve	Peace Activist	Delhi, India
Swati Sharan	Peace activist	Hamilton, Canada

Aaghaz-e-Dosti appeals for peace over escalation in ceasefire violations

PRESS RELEASE

Aaghaz-e-Dosti appeals for peace over escalation in ceasefire violations

The youth led voluntary initiative for Indo-Pak Friendship, Aaghaz-e-Dosti (li. Beginning of friendship) expresses concern over increased incidents of ceasefire violations between the two countries across Line of Control.

‘’We believe that governments of the two countries are capable enough to engage in dialogue with each other and should do their best efforts to reduce these incidents of violations and cross border firings till the extent that it should not happen at all. Such cross border firings often result as fatal to soldiers and civilians on both sides and both countries must understand the pain and suffering of these soldiers and civilians who are human being. ‘’

For countries like India and Pakistan where there is glorification of war and where common people love their country and its soldiers beyond all limits, such ceasefire violations are more dangerous. However, it is the responsibility of respective governments that without compromising to any glory or honor; dialogues, negotiations and diplomatic steps should be taken to avoid any loss to lives of soldiers on both sides.

Another constituency of affected people is of those who live in border areas. There are media reports available that even children have been died as they got trapped in these firings. Many houses have been made damaged on both sides despite a considerable number of population live on both sides of line.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti highly appreciate governments’ initiative during 2003 when ceasefire violations were brought down through a mutually agreed agreement between the two governments and their armies and we are highly hopeful that the same should be done by the present governments on both sides. Aaghaz-e-Dosti express its hope with the leadership of both sides in Governments, Diplomatic Missions and Armed forces who can definitely bring down these violations through initiating and establishing dialogue process. Meetings of two NSAs also bring some hope to us for its positive results are yet to come on ground and most required on border where lives of innocent people are on stake.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti also appeals with Governments of India and Pakistan to resume meeting of DGMOs of both sides and to remove heavy casualty arms and ammunition from front lines from both sides as its immediate availability and use would only result in more casualties. Being a most volatile start in 2018, escalated incidents of ceasefire violations must be brought down with efforts of governments and people. 

We at Aaghaz-e-Dosti believe that our efforts in fostering people to people relations would continue. We are the youth group who believe in ideology of peace and love. On one side, we are deeply distressed upon the disappearance of our member Raza Khan in Pakistan, however our hope still remains with the Government of Pakistan as we feel that Government would do its best efforts to protect peace workers. However, our commitment to peace is undeterred and without any fear and we feel that being voice of youths, who are in majority in both countries, our voice will be heard by leaders on both sides and effective steps will be taken in welfare of humanity and with the vision of long lasting relations of two countries. Doing this would save much lives from both sides and will be a real service to people. 

Issued by

Aaghaz-e-Dosti Team 

https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com

News published on:

The Nation (Pakistan) https://nation.com.pk/02-Mar-2018/aaghaz-e-dosti-urges-pakistan-india-to-reopen-diplomatic-channels?show=preview?unique_ID=636504300008702949

Rising Kashmir http://risingkashmir.com/news/aaghaz-e-dosti-urges-india-pak-to-reduce-loc-tension

Kashmir Times http://www.kashmirtimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=76867

Kashmir Pen http://www.kashmirpen.com/aaghaz-e-dosti-appeals-for-peace-over-escalation-in-ceasefire-violations/

Aaghaz-e-Dosti appeals to authorities to find peace activist Raza Khan

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is concerned about the whereabouts of Raza Mahmood Khan, a Pakistani peace activist who is also the convener-Pakistan of Aaghaz-e-Dosti. It has been reported that Raza Khan went missing on the evening of 2nd December 2017. He was last seen at the end of a talk he organized on the issue of extremism at Lowkey Lokai. The Lahore police subsequently registered an FIR for a missing person case on the complaint received from his family and friends there. Since then, there has been no trace of him even as the investigation is ongoing.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is a joint project of two youth-led organisations – Mission Bhartiyam (India) and Hum Sab Aik Hain (Pakistan). It is managed by students and young professionals who work for Aaghaz-e-Dosti voluntarily, without any form of monetary remuneration. 

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is an apolitical initiative that does not attach itself to any political ideology, except for the ideology of peace and humanity. Aaghaz-e-Dosti members from both India and Pakistan have complete faith in the constitutions of their respective countries and their affiliation with this initiative is voluntary on the basis of their belief in the universal value of human rights, to which all countries and people of the world are committed. 

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is a civil society initiative and works on a people-to-people level. It does not speak about the domestic affairs of the respective countries. It works to highlight the role that people or civilians can play in improving relations between the two countries. For this, it works through peace education activities that facilitates interaction between people of both countries, dispels stereotypes and stresses the importance of peace and peacebuilding.  

For 5 years now, Aaghaz-e-Dosti has been consistently working through peace education activities that include interactive sessions called ‘Aman Chaupals’, connecting Indian and Pakistani classrooms through video conferencing (Indo-Pak Classroom Connect), peace workshops, discussions, letter and greeting card exchange programs, Indo-Pak Peace Calendar, Indo-Pak open mics that facilitate virtual interactions between youths, a virtual eight-week peace-building course, peace Internships, and various virtual campaigns. 

While being deeply concerned and in pain, Aaghaz-e-Dosti acknowledges Raza Khan’s valuable efforts to work for peace education, mostly among school students. Raza joined Aaghaz-e-Dosti in year 2015 when he was already involved in activism at a local level in Pakistan for different issues concerning Pakistan. 

Aaghaz-e-Dosti extends its gratitude to everyone who is supporting and helping to find Raza Khan. We have complete faith in the working of state agencies and the judiciary and are hopeful that they will be able to find Raza soon and safe.

To contact us, email at aaghazedosti@gmail.com

*This is the second press statement. The first one can be accessed at https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/statement-of-aaghaz-e-dosti-on-missing-report-of-raza-khan-convener-pakistan-of-aaghaz-e-dosti/

Statement of Aaghaz-e-Dosti on missing report of Raza Khan, Convener (Pakistan) of Aaghaz-e-Dosti

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is concerned about the whereabouts of Raza Mehmood Khan, a Pakistani peace activist who is also our convener. It has been reported that Raza Khan went missing on the evening of 2nd December 2017. He was last seen at the end of a talk he organized on the issue of extremism at his office. The Lahore police subsequently registered an FIR for the missing person case on the complaint received by his family and friends there. Since then, there has been no trace of him while the investigation is still on going.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is a joint collaborative venture between India and Pakistan which was founded in 2012 with a team of volunteers, mostly youth and students who were advocating for global peace. Aaghaz-e-Dosti is an apolitical initiative that does not attach itself to any political ideology except for the ideology of peace and humanity. Aaghaz-e-Dosti members from both India and Pakistan have complete faith in the constitutions of their own countries and their affiliation with this initiative is voluntary on the basis of their belief in the universal values of human rights, to which all countries and people of the world are committed.

While being deeply concerned and in pain, Aaghaz-e-Dosti acknowledges Raza Khan’s valuable efforts to work for peace education, mostly among school students as a core work of the Aaghaz-e-Dosti for Indo-Pak Friendship. Raza joined Aaghaz-e-Dosti in year 2015 and was already involved in activism at a local level in Pakistan for different issues concerning Pakistan.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti extends its gratitude to everyone who are supporting and helping to find Raza Khan. We have complete faith in the working of state agencies and are hopeful that Raza will be back soon with the efforts of the Government of Pakistan and its state institutions. 

To contact us, email at aaghazedosti@gmail.com 

On Hiroshima Day, Aaghaz-e-Dosti organised “Chiraagh-e-Aman Jalao” at River Raavi, Lahore

Aaghaz-e-Dosti Lahore chapter organized ‘Chiraagh-e-Aman Jalao’ on 6^th August 2017. Aaghaz-e-dosti believes in peace and harmony in South Asian Region and the whole world, collectively. Mainly there are two reasons why Chiraagh-e-aman Jalao was organized. Firstly, in August 2017, Pakistan and India are going to be 70 years old and still the two neighboring countries are living in conflict.

Even after 70 years of birth, Pakistan and India needs to resolve all the contemporary conflicts including border conflict. We are gathering at river Ravi, which symbolize that future of India and Pakistan must flow together like waves of river and with the virtue to serve humanity. 

We gathered on 6th August as 6^th and 9^th August 1945 has been one of the darkest days in world’s history when during the final stage of World War II, the United States dropped nuclear weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two bombings, which killed at least 129,000 people, remain the only use of nuclear weapons for warfare in history. We hope that despite being nuclear empowered nations, India and Pakistan will take all steps to resolve their conflicts and to provide future generation a better region that will be free from any kind of violence, hatred, conflict and war. Our future must grow together. 

This, Chiraagh-e-Aman was a very tiny memorial for all violence and hatred provoking incidents resulting in numerous victims. Aaghaz-e-dosti calls on all actors to regurgitate the significant responsibility of the States in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. AED also stresses the importance of peace and humanity. AED urges all actors to increase their inputs for sustaining peace.

Aaghaz-e-dosti demands both Pakistani and Indian State to back the treaty banning nuclear weapons. It’s been more than seven decades when the world has witnessed the macro destruction due to nuclear weapons, now it is the time to learn from the her-story. Both nations need and dreams for the freedom from poverty. We demand for a welfare state instead of a security state. People are still deprived from pure drinking water, health facilities, food, shelter etc. Both countries need to relax visa policy and increase trade, religious tourism, cultural exchange etc. For emphasizing on this AED called the both nations to join to lit the lamp, a lamp of hope, harmony and humanity.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti (lit. beginning of Friendship) aims to eradicate mutual hatred and suspicion to create unwavering bonds of peace and friendship. This is because we believe that miscommunication and lack of communication has helped sustain the conflict.  To meet our objective, Aaghaz-e-Dosti has taken several initiatives ranging from interactive sessions in schools to public demonstrations, from art-based initiatives to writing articles and issuing statements to disseminate the misrepresented voice across the border. 

Aaghaz-e-Dosti seeks to enhance people-to-people relations. It seeks to become the medium to discover and recognize the misrepresented reality on the other side of the border. Aaghaz-e-Dosti was started in 2012 by Mission Bhartiyam, an India-based youth organisation. It has collaborated with several organisations in the past but from May 2017, Aaghaz-e-Dosti became a joint initiative of Mission Bhartiyam and Pakistan-based “Hum Sab Aik Hain”.

‘Hum Sab Aik Hain’ is an organization formed by a group of young people based in Lahore. The objective of this organization is to promote peace and harmony among the masses by highlighting, advocating and organizing towards discourses and movements to bring about Socio-Political and Economic changes required for a peaceful society.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti felicitated with Public Peace Prize Award 2017

Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a cross border Indo-Pak Friendship Initiative, is now a laureate under the category of “Special Mention” for the Public Peace Prize 2017. Public Peace Prize is an International award and regarded as the “People’s Award”. It is the public that sends in nominations and then votes to choose the laureates according to the proposed categories. In 2017, it has recognised peacemakers from Cameroon, Colombia, Ghana, India, France, Nigeria, Pakistan, USA and Yemen. The criteria for recognition was is uniqueness of project, challenges, courage, audacity and selflessness of changemakers and their efforts. 

In 2017, it has recognised peacemakers from Cameroon, Colombia, Ghana, India, France, Nigeria, Pakistan, USA and Yemen. Besides Aaghaz-e-Dosti, 2017 laureates include Elliot Hillary Dogbe who is an 11 year old peace activist from Ghana, Khairatul Saidu from Nigeria who is working for rights for the unjustly imprisoned, Zubair Torwali from Pakistan for his work to increase literacy in the indigeneous people of Swat Valley among several other inspiring changemakers who have been felicitated as laureates or finalists.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti (“Beginning of Friendship” in Hindi and Urdu) is proud to have received such a recognition. Aaghaz-e-Dosti is proclaimed as Laureate for the 2017 Public Peace Prize in the category of Mediators for Reconciliation between Groups Divided by Conflicts.

Public Peace Prize wrote for Aaghaz-e-Dosti, “Aaghaz-e-Dosti is laureate 2017 for its pledge and its consistent actions seeking to reconcile communities that have been rivals in two countries.  Most of the public’s support went to this civil initiative which was considered both innovative and bold.”

An initiative engaged with citizen diplomacy, Aaghaz-e-Dosti works by facilitating people-to-people contact, challenging mutual hatred and suspicion, creating a culture of peace and understanding among people of both countries, and highlighting the issues of victims of conflicts. It works through peace education activities in schools and colleges, advocacy on the issues of the victims of conflict by documentation and by approaching the concerned authorities on both sides.

Despite being a voluntary and unfunded initiative, Aaghaz-e-Dosti has been able to be a consistent voice and platform working for Indo-Pak peace since May 2012. Aaghaz-e-Dosti was started by some individuals led by Ravi Nitesh of Mission Bhartiyam in India in 2012. For Aaghaz-e-Dosti, Mission Bhartiyam had collaborated with several organisations of Pakistan (such as CYDA, IMOV, The Catalyst, The Catalyst for Peace) in the past and from May 2017, Aaghaz-e-Dosti became a joint initiative of Mission Bhartiyam and Pakistan-based Hum Sab Aik Hai (lit. “We are One”).

Aaghaz-e-Dosti has always been run by active and committed individuals who worked voluntarily. For this reason, there have been people who also left in the spirit of keeping the initiative active. This award is dedicated to every individual who has ever contributed to Aaghaz-e-Dosti.

At present, Aaghaz-e-Dosti has regional chapters and or co-ordinators in Aligarh, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi, Mumbai and Vadodara in India and in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Toba Tek Singh in Pakistan. It also has co-ordinators in Dubai and Kyrgyz Republic.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti has received several awards in the past for its peacebuilding efforts. For Aaghaz-e-Dosti, this recognition is recognising the commitment of the team of volunteers who are working for the cause and realising the hope for peace of millions of people who are affected with conflict, violence, hatred and enmity.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti extends its sincere thanks to Public Peace Prize and assure that it will continue to bring to our fold, more committed and motivated young people who want to make this world a better place to live in and in making our region more peaceful and free from violence. Aaghaz-e-Dosti is committed and increasing its membership base in both countries as well as in third countries to cater IndoPak diaspora and spreading peace message across globe. It respects, appreciates and follows SDG goals of UN where Peacebuilding is seen as one of the global committment under SDG13. In coming months, Aaghaz-e-Dosti is bringing few innovative and new programs under which people will take part towards strengthening citizen diplomacy and peace education.

Apply Now: Peace Internship Program

With the objective to increase the peace tribe, Aaghaz-e-Dosti launches peace internships. The Peace Internship Program is a four-week internship program (can be extended) which while being specialized in a specific field – writing, research, video editing and designing, will inculcate an understanding of peace and conflict in context of the Indo-Pak issue. The internship will equip you to understand conflict, and contribute to peace between India and Pakistan.

The Peace Internship Program has been designed keeping in mind the voluntary nature and the time constraints that may bound an individual. The program is home-based and easily doable but does require hardwork. An intern will have to devote about 10 hours in a week.

Since this is a non-funded initiative, we will not be able to offer any monetary remuneration. However, the interns will receive a certificate on the completion of the internship program.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti is offering four types of internship. While an applicant can apply for more than one, he/she will be accepted only for one.

Writing Interns

Work

Writing Interns will be given a maximum of 4 different writing assignments which may include movie review, article, poem and fiction story. Feedback will be provided on the writing style, analysis and understanding of the conflict.

Eligibility

• Good command over written English
• Prior knowledge of writing skills
• Ability to analyse issues
• Able to meet deadlines and complete one assignment (writing and incorporation of feedback) in a week’s time

To apply, please send a writing sample along with your CV and statement of interest.

Research Interns

Work: This will be done in a group. A group of 4 people will work on a particular issue that informs the Indo-Pak Conflict. The team will divide the work and will be involved in compiling, analyzing and documenting data. The objective of the research team will be to understand the issue from different perspectives.

Data collection will involve finding and reading existing works, collecting data through survey and interview method.

The team will write a joint report. Besides the report, they can also explore creative, alternative methods to present the findings.

Eligibility: Any previous experience in research will be preferred. To apply, please send your CV and statement of interest.

Video Interns

Interns will make video on particular issue, in collaboration with research team or independent. This will involve video making and editing work.

Eligibility: Some experience in video making/editing is mandatory. Please share any previous work along with your CV and statement of interest.

Design Interns – photo editing and designing of posters (content will be given).

Eligibility: Some experience in designing and photo editing is mandatory. Please share any previous work along with your CV and statement of interest.

The first peace internship will start from 20th June (tentative date). Please do not apply if you will not be able to commit one month (10 hours a week) for this program. 

Deadline to Apply: 15 June 2017

To apply, please email with the above-stated documents to aaghazedosti@gmail.com

Present Team Structure of Aaghaz-e-Dosti

Aaghaz-e-Dosti (lit. Beginning of Friendship) was initiated by Mission Bhartiyam in 2012. At present, it is a joint project of Mission Bhartiyam of India and Hum Sab Aik Hai of Pakistan.

The working structure of Aaghaz-e-Dosti consists of founder, two convenors (temporary post) – India and Pakistan, core committee members, city-coordinators, members of regional team and task-based committees.

Aaghaz-e-Dosti has been working consistently since its launch in 2012. With the motive to work actively and extensively, every year, the team is restructured and membership is renewed. Here is the current team structure:

Founder of Aaghaz-e-Dosti: Ravi Nitesh

Conveners – Devika Mittal (India) and Raza Khan (Pakistan)

Core Members: Ravi Nitesh, Devika Mittal, Raza Khan and Madhulika V Narasimhan

Regional/City Co-ordinators

India

Aligarh – Ilma Iqbal (Co-ordinator)

Baroda – Dr. Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere (Co-ordinator)

Chandigarh – Astinder Kaur ji (Co-ordinator)

Dehradun – Prashant Nautiyal (Co-ordinator)

Delhi – Madhulika Narasimhan (Chairperson), Madhuri (Treasurer), Shruti Achesh, Sarral Sharma, Neelanjan Chakraborty, Sanjana Arya, Manish Bhaduariya, Madalsa Poddar, Radhika Arora, Dr. Praveen Saraswat and Rupika

Pakistan

Islamabad – Syed Zeeshan Ali Shah, Fatima Shah and Saba Khalid

Lahore – Raza Khan, Safia Bokhari (Co-ordinator), Farooq Ishraq (General Secretary), Sarah Awan (Information Secretary), Atiqa Shahid

Toba Tek Singh – Umair Ahmad (Co-ordinator)

Kyrgyz Chapter

Nasima Karim – Co-ordinator

Dubai Chapter

Zebaish Shaikh – Co-ordinator

Blog/Editing Team Devika Mittal, Madhulika V Narasimhan, Dr. Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere and Sheharyar Rizwan

Social Media Initiatives Team Swathi Gadepalli and Rupika

Design Team Shruti Achesh and Prashant Nautiyal 

Volunteers: While anyone can apply to become a volunteer, only those who work are recognised as volunteers and on the basis of their work, are given a responsibility and enrolled in the team.