The 65th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on April 19, 2019, on the theme of “Conflict Resolution Through Dialogue”. Conflict resolution has been one of the core themes Ulasi Taroon aims to discuss and the radio show mainly focused on the importance of dialogue to prevent conflict and peacefully coexist.
The first guest on show, Dr. Imran, a faculty member from the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Peshawar, noted that the existence of conflict among humans is a social reality and it cannot be ignored. History shows that conflicts cannot be resolved through violent means and opting such methods has never yielded lasting results but it is through dialogue and mutual understanding that most of the international and local conflicts have been resolved.
Dialogue is an ability to exhibit tolerance, respect and greater wisdom. There is a dire need to develop the conflict resolution capacity of our youth leaders and help them develop this incredibly powerful soft skill of dialogue. This will enable them to counter extremist perspectives and lead peaceful conflict resolution within their respective communal, academic and professional spheres.
The second guest on show, Ms. Kainat said conflicts are not necessarily armed in nature but it can also be a mere disagreement; a clash of different views, ideas and perceptions and such conflicts should always be resolved through dialogue.
The third guest in studio, Ms. Hafsa added that the tone and temperature of national politics can take a serious toll on youth; negatively impacting and leaving them intolerant of different views and manifestoes. We need to cultivate our youth leaders in the virtues of patience and tolerance and ideals of peace and coexistence, and help them master the use of dialogue for conflict resolution.
The fourth guest in studio, Mr. Usman noted that disagreements and conflicts are natural phenomena living in the society, however, how we deal with them is more important. It only leads to violent conflicts if not dealt properly through communication, developing mutual understanding and dialogue. There is huge onus on educated members of the society to develop the culture of dialogue embedded in the democratic norms.
About Ulasi Taroon
Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies that aims to address the radicalization challenges, extremist ideologies and foster social cohesion through a discourse anchored in the core constitutional values which are fundamentally essential prerequisites for social peace and harmony. The endeavor aims to cultivate and sensitize the people of KP in the core values in the Pakistani constitution and our social contract. It’s an attempt to highlight the criticality of abiding by these ideals – such as adherence to rule of law, primacy and sanctity of constitution, equal citizenry, responsible citizenship, respect for fundamental human rights, tolerance for diversity and different opinions, inclusive democracy and good governance – as a measure of fostering social cohesion and peaceful co-existence.