To promote peaceful coexistence, interfaith harmony, inclusion, and community resilience
Project: Parenting Matters for Interfaith Harmony
WPTG Foundation is implementing the project “Parenting Matters for Interfaith Harmony” in Rawalpindi and Islamabad districts. The project aims to fill the vacuum of parental counselling with their children for the promotion of interfaith harmony. Pakistan lacks a platform that helps and educates young parents to train their children for acceptance of diversity in the country. In the West, there are several parental academies and parental guides available but in Pakistan, there is hardly any such service available. Hence, to bring a change in the mindsets of parents WPTGF is working closely with grassroot community parents and leaders to enhance acceptance of diversity in their surroundings. Around 50 diverse faith families are working with us to make a difference in the lives of parents living in their neighbourhoods. These members meet monthly during the interfaith harmony committee meetings. The members are also engaged in various activities relating to interfaith harmony, mental health, gender equality and conflict resolution and prevention to build their knowledge and transform their mindset on the given subject.
Project: Live What You Believe – Freedom of Religion and Belief
WPTGF has trained 300 journalists, teachers, nurses, women and youth in freedom of religion and belief in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Hyderabad districts of Pakistan. WPTGF is working though this project in Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory. Under this project we conduct training titled “Live What You Believe”, The aim of the training is to enable participants to learn about Freedom of Religion and Belief and understand how it is connected to Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (ICCPR). Pakistan is signatory to both of these International Commitments. During the training government officials, political leaders, diplomats, civil society representatives, and media professionals, law makers and police officials are invited to reflect on topics FoRB, Peace and Security, FoRB and Women, and FoRB and Business.
Project: Building Peaceful Coexistence Among Children
WPTGF is working closely with diverse faith children through 4 Non-Formal Education Centres based Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In each school there are 35 children (altogether 140) from the age of 5-16, we conduct storytelling session with these children to promote peaceful coexistence. In a month 8 sessions are conducted; 2 session with each school. Children are provided opportunities to listen to the stories and reflect on it. The teachers of Non-Formal Education Centres shares with us that children wait for the storytelling sessions anxiously because of the interactive stories and refreshment. WPTF has contextualized the original stories of Dr. Johaness Reimer to Pakistani Context, the stories have the power to shape hearts, open minds, and bring people together. This storybook has been created especially for children in Pakistan to help them understand important values such as kindness, honesty, forgiveness, respect, and peaceful coexistence. Each story in this book reflects real-life situations that children may experience or observe in their communities. The characters come from different parts of Pakistan cities, villages, mountains, plains showing that values like love, compassion, and respect for others belong to everyone.