Literature enthusiasts, academics and peace activists got together at Peshawar University from February 19 to February 21 to mull over what peace really means.

The three-day event, which featured talks by various authors, live theatre and an art exhibition, brought to the fore many aspects of the peace economy. It was attended by a large number of students, artists activists, scholars and educationists.

During the event, titled Think Peace, there were discussions on how to work towards a more peaceful and inclusive society. The guests spoke about various social, academic and cultural issues.

It was as if the campus came alive. Musicians played rabab and food stalls were set up. Handicrafts were displayed in stalls. The event was organised by Sha’ur Foundation for Education and Awareness.

Speaking at the inauguration, Caretaker Minister for Higher Eduation Prof Qasim Jan said that the youth must come up with innovative ways to resolve national and global challenges.

Raja Shoaib Akbar, executive director of the SFEA said that Think Peace, was organised with the aim of raising awareness among university students and the youth at large so they could “… work for permanent peace in the region, engage in healthy activities and celebrate cultural and linguistic diversity.”

Ali Hameed, chairperson of the SFEA, stated that the KP youth had great strength and resilience and could fight against the militants’ narratives. Prof Muhammad Saleem, the vice chancellor of Peshawar University, said that he was committed to providing the students with an environment conducive to learning.

The opening session was followed by a debate on Transformative Impact of Conflict on Women and Youth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Prof Dr Syed Irfan Ashraf spoke about conflict and how it had impacted women and children. “Violence does not only generate a cycle of revenge and hatred and but also brings about a bizarre changes in the youth that impact them adversely,” he said.

He shared an anecdote about how an Afghan woman responded to hardliners who kept her from getting an education. Referring to the situation in Afghanistan, he said that conflict had important repercussions, especially for Afghan women.

Another speaker, Aftab Bano, said that the youth needed to believe in their own strength. “There are challenges but there are also opportunities as the world changes. I am optimistic about the women of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They can overcome difficulties,” Bano said.

In another discussion, Dr Darvish Afridi, Dr Ceri Oeppen and Dr Sana Alimia reached a consensus on how there was a need to address the underlying causes of conflict instead of expecting people to learn to live with it. The speakers said that there was a need to employ sustainable approaches in order to empower vulnerable communities.

Aneela Sajjad, another speaker, said that empowering women financially and including them in decision making at all levels was important. They must have an equal say regarding their careers, marriages, households and politics.

A live theatre performance titled Sada-i- Amn (Voice of Peace)], was the highlight of the event. Written by Hayat Roghani and directed by Wama Feroz, the performance featured characters from various minority communities. The character roles of Mahi Gull, a transgender woman, Neem Muhkli and Baryaal Afghan were greatly appreciated by the audience.

This was followed by a multilingual poetry recital in which many renowned poets including Afsar Afghan, Prof Nazeer Tabassum, Asmatullah, Gule Arbab and Javed Iqbal recited their work in Pashto, Urdu, Hindko, Damili and Torwali.

Fruitful discussions on several books followed. Shaking Hands with Clenched Fists, Afghan Siddhartha, Refugee Cities and Mutabadil Bayanya (Alternative narrative), were some of the works discussed in detail.

On February 21, the focus of the conversation remained on linguistic diversity. The last day of the event coincided with the International Mother Language Day. In a discussion titled, Language as an Instrument of Peace, Prof Nasir Jamal Khattak, Dr Anoosh and Zubair Torwali talked about the significance of celebrating languages and linguistic pluralism.

A prize distribution ceremony, presided over by Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz, followed the discussion. Prof Ayaz appreciated the efforts of the organisers.

The writer is a Peshawar-based journalist. He mostly writes on art, culture, education, youth and minorities. He tweets  @Shinwar-9