The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) conducted a training workshop on “Motivation and Future Leaders” for young participants from Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, October 25. The workshop was designed as part of CRSS efforts under its Afghan Studies Center (ASC) initiative to bring together young minds from both countries on one platform to interact and exchange ideas from their personal experiences as a way to mitigate the unnecessarily growing mistrust between the two peoples.
Mustafa Malik, a development professional with years of experience as a master trainer, was the chief guest and the trainer in the workshop. Participants included young Afghans and Pakistanis studying in various universities in Islamabad, including Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), as well as other vibrant activists.
The workshop encompassed a series of interactive exercises probing the participants from both sides to critically evaluate their short and long-term goals and the motivation behind them. Several stories of famous and successful icons were shared with the participants as a way to motivate them to achieve their goals. Further, each participant was asked to share a personal story and how it had shaped his life and his cognitive approach. Several female participants were of the view that being a female in the Pakistani and Afghan society puts them at a disadvantage as compared to men in achieving their goals and pursuing their dreams. Many participants narrated some of the most personal stories and how refueling one’s motivation to achieve one’s goals is a critical need for the young generation in both countries. They thanked CRSS for providing the opportunity to the youth of Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit together in a joint forum and engage in critical thinking exercises to develop their leadership skills and motivation for making a better future.
Mr. Aized Ali, Project Director Beyond Boundaries at CRSS, moderated the session and apprised the participants on CRSS’ Pak-Afghan Beyond Boundaries Track1.5/II initiative which led to the emergence of Afghan Studies Center (ASC). He told the participants that Beyond Boundaries had been a conscious effort to bridge the gulf of mistrust between the two neighbors. He also encouraged the participants to network among themselves to help improve local perceptions on both sides. The workshop ended in a group photo.
The workshop was the third in Afghan Studies Center’s series of scheduled workshops for Afghan and Pakistani youth. Through such activities, the center aspires for peace by engaging the youth from both sides in informed discourses, and capacity building through skills development workshops. Alongside such workshops, the center also runs a monthly dialogue series with participation of young men and women from Pakistan and Afghanistan to increase the much needed people to people contact that has been decreasing in recent years.
