The 83rd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on August 30, 2019, on the theme of “Soft Skills Development Among Youth”. The endeavor aimed to discuss how the education with some core values of humanity at the core can be the most inclusive form of education ever.
The guests opined that there is a whole range of soft skills development options through formal, informal and even non-formal education and trainings opportunities.
The first guest on show, Mr. Khalid Mehmood, one of the Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshop’s alumni and a student from the Department of Social Work, University of Peshawar, explained that a responsible citizen is one who is well aware of not only one’s own rights and responsibilities but also the law of the land; especially constitution and its core values of social peace.
The key to successful conflict resolution is dialogue which has a proven problem solving potency no matter how big the issue. As a party to dialogue for conflict resolution, you must have the virtues of patience, tolerance and empathy and be able to understand and respect others opinions. We can change our story by celebrating our diversity and focusing on commonalities instead of letting differences deter our cohesion and collective vision. Also important is the propagation of positive messaging to delegitimize the extremist ideologies.
The second guest on show, Ms. Ayesha Yousufzai, a student from the Department of Journalism, University of Peshawar, said that soft skills are an extremely essential contemporary requirement for our human capital development and these include but not limited to communication skills, problem solving, teamwork, gratitude, tolerance, leadership etc.
Soft skills development is also very important for responsible citizenship and to expect all members of the society to play their role in national development and progress. Tolerant and patient citizens can best deal with conflicts and other issues facing the society. Effective leadership is critical to fostering responsible citizenship as it prompts the citizens to formulate shared goals and a collective vision, that leads to success. Leaderships skills help harnessing the potential of teamwork to achieve such shared goals of community development. And communication is the essential tool for dialogue, conflict resolution, decision making processes and for maintaining cohesion.
She further said that an individual can be a responsible citizen only when one is aware of law, and cognizant of citizen’s roles to uphold rule of law, and prevent instability, unrest in the society and promote cohesion.
After attending CRSS’s youth capacity building workshops on social cohesion, we got to know that it is only through dialogue; discussion and understanding that you can resolve the conflicts. Positivity leads to results; progress and prosperity.
Civil society can play a tremendous role in spreading awareness among masses and especially youth for social cohesion, she concluded.
The third guest on the show, Ms. Zale Safi, from the Department of Journalism, University of Peshawar, opined that a responsible citizen resorts to volunteerism, and recognizes and fulfills one’s role for social development. Social media has a tremendous potential to promote social cohesion; tolerance perspectives and positive messaging. Media is a very important platform in strengthening and promoting peace and interfaith harmony.
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.