In cooperation with various institutions in Pakistan - Muslim Council of Elders launches the second edition of the Azadi Fellowship Programme to promote dialogue and peaceful coexistence

Muslim Council of Elders supports coexistence and counters extremism through the Azadi Fellowship Programme in Pakistan

As part of its ongoing initiatives to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence, the Muslim Council of Elders is participating in the second session of the Azadi Fellowship Programme, held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from May 17 to 25. The participation is in collaboration with the International Research Council for Religious Affairs (IRCRA), the Islamic Research Institute, the International Islamic University, the Paigham-e-Pakistan Centre for CVE, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (KPCECVE), the National Endowment for Democracy, and the Resala organization in Pakistan.

This year, the program aims to engage 25 young men and women from various sects and religious beliefs to instill a culture of religious and cultural dialogue, support efforts to promote peaceful coexistence, and combat hate speech and extremism. It also addresses the challenges of global peacebuilding through educational lectures and workshops focusing on the values of tolerance, communication, and mutual respect. The program seeks to develop effective strategies to overcome social and cultural issues in societies with diverse cultural, social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

The list of speakers includes several officials, ambassadors, thinkers, and religious leaders, such as the French Ambassador to Pakistan His Excellency Nicolas Galey, U.S. Consul General Shante Moore from the U.S. Consulate General in Peshawar, and Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Director General of the Islamic Research Institute in Islamabad. The program will also feature over 100 religious leaders, intellectuals, and advocates for the promotion and reinforcement of values of human fraternity and tolerance.

The week-long program includes interactive dialogue sessions focusing on various topics such as addressing the challenges of multiculturalism to achieve coexistence in diverse societies, conflict resolution techniques to manage crises and overcome increasing violence, hate speech, and extremism while enhancing the capacity and resilience of youth to face contemporary global challenges. Additionally, it will explore academic and community pathways necessary to reinforce efforts aimed at establishing values of understanding, peace, human fraternity, and mutual respect.

The Muslim Council of Elders is committed to empowering future generations in order to contribute to the promotion of tolerance, peace, and peaceful coexistence among different cultures and religions. The Council aims to achieve this trough various initiatives and projects such as the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, the Human Fraternity Fellowship Programme, the Ethics Education Fellowship Programme, and other initiatives aimed at enhancing the role of youth in peacebuilding for a better future for humanity.