Surat, Gujarat India meets Lahore, Pakistan: Second IndoPak Open Mic

Pakistanis and Indians got a chance to come together virtually as the Aaghaz-e-Dosti organised the 2^nd virtual cross-border open mic with Aaghaz-e-dosti Surat, Gujrat team and Aaghaz-e-dosti team Lahore. Open mic was held at Lowkey Lokai, a space that brings together people & community to dialogue and debate issues that are critical for building a peaceful society.

The basic objective of the open mic was an interactive session among Pakistanis and Indians through which art, music and culture could be promoted. Both sides have a notion about the people of other side as strangers and others. Aaghaz-e-dosti has an aim to abolish this ‘otherness’.

Kevin West and Ahsan Aslam from Qaid the band of Lahore initiated the event by singing an Indian song Qurban Hua and Saiyyoun Nee by Junoon Band. Qaid band had outstanding vocals and voice.

The event got pace with a dance performance by Hammad rasheeed, a choreographer and a Kathak dancer also teach at LGS. Hammad has performed more than 100 times in India and Pakistan during the span of last 3 years. He has also choreographed for Pakistan Television, Ajoka Theatre and many other organizations. Hammad did Kathak dance on Raag Bhagraiwaan and Khamaj by Shafqat Ali. This performance fascinated the setting.

As event got rhythm, performances from both the sides were presented turn-by-turn. Mark Xavier, engineering student sang sufi song. Following the Sufi music Joshua Dilawar, a social activist and student of journalism sang Gulabi Ankhain and Taaray Zameen Per. Mohsin, a student of Gender Studies Department, Punjab University did mimickery and both sides were echoing with laughers.

Saddam Hussain from Lahore came up with amazing flute and caught everyone’s attention. Mobeen Ahmad, student of Philosophy from Lahore was another person with flute gave his best.

Zeeshan Sarwar, ended the show by singing a song of peace. Fayyaz, a chemical engineer and member of Aaghaz-e-dosti delivered a poem of his own demanding for peace, humanity and harmony.

Participants appreciated the campaign and this Open Mic event. They were very keen to be invited in such upcoming events of Aaghaz-e-Dosti to promote Peace and tolerance. Participants emphasize that both Governments should replace this conflict and tussle with Peace and harmony. Visa process should be easier, so that people may visit across the border easily one of the participants said that.

The Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a joint initiative of Mission Bhartiyam (India) and Hum Sab Aik Hain (Pakistan), aims to eradicate mutual hatred and suspicion to create unwavering bonds of peace and friendship. They believe that miscommunication and lack of communication has helped sustain the conflict. To meet objective, the 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.

Hum Sab Aik Hain represents Aaghaz-e-Dosti Pakistan; 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 the economic changes required for a peaceful society.

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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.

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.