From Mumbai to Chitral: A message of peace on New Year
Students of grade 7 from Ecole Mondiale World School, Mumbai, India, participated in a programme called ‘Let’s Exchange Peace on New Year’ with students of grade 7th and 8th from Langlands School and College, Chitral.
On Dec 31, the students at Langlands were seen devouring the cards, sent by ‘friends’ from an ‘enemy’ country, with intermittent shouts of, “Wow, my cards is so lovely. You know what is written in my card?” Initiated by Aaghaz-e-Dosti, the programme aims at exchanging New Year cards between school students of India and Pakistan. It aims at breaking down classrooms walls between India and Pakistan for sharing greetings of peace, understanding and love.
The school in Chitral is named in acknowledgement of educational services of Geoffery Douglas Langlands. He landed in India in 1944 as part of the British army. When powers were divided in 1947, Langlands moved to Pakistan and now has retired after a long teaching career including 24 years at the Langlands School Chitral. Zaibun Nisa teaches Mathematics and Physics to grade 6–12 at Langlands School and College but her goal is to further develop a sense of being global citizens in her students.
“No matter which side of the border we are, we shares values of and desire for peace, love, blessings, and greeting.” She was also of the view that handmade card exchange greeting may be a thing of the past to many people, but for the learning and happiness they bring, she would want it to continue to be a part of her classroom’s future.
Ecole Mondiale had sent about 40 cards to Langlands exchanging New Year greeting and hope for love and peace. The students wished their peers in Pakistan on New Year and also shared their hope for peaceful and friendly relations. Arya, a student of Ecole Mondiale wrote in his card, “I wish you a very merry Christmas and a very happy New Year. There is so much love from India. I am very proud to call you my friends.” Similarly, Aditi had written “Dear Pakistan! Happy New Year, have an amazing 2016.”[caption id="attachment_32301" align="aligncenter" width="940"]
Langlands school Chitral students after receiving the cards[/caption]
ESL specialist, English and TOK teacher at Ecole Mondaile World School, Ms. Tulika Bhatija remarked, “Inclusion of peace initiatives in school related activities and curriculum by extension can go a long way in shattering stereotypes and paving a path to build cross border friendships. New Year greetings is a step towards fulfilling a dream where children no longer feel the burden to take forward the legacy of hatred.”
The students from Lang Lands will reply back to their friends from Ecole Mondaile in early January. Devika Mittal and Aliya Harir, conveners of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, have expressed the hope that this exchange of cards will help to bridge the gap of miscommunication and misconceptions and will fill young hearts with love, hope and commitment for peace and friendship between India and Pakistan.
Previously, Ecole Mondiale World School had exchanged greeting cards with Excellent Education Centre in Lahore on Independence Days, and Air Foundation School in Umerkot on Diwali. The exchange was also facilitated by Aaghaz-e-Dosti.
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Children are non political. Children are children who ever they are. They are NOT vicious, and out of insinuation with any one. It is political system which make them enemy. War mongering exploiters and opportunists are the real enemies of children. . When the clandestine forces, whoever they were, massacred students in Peshawar, Pakistan, the Indian children felt the PAIN and grief more than the politicians. They burnt candles and made procession for them and showed their unity, integrity and LOVE. They are always and will be the same.
The children want and need protection NOT WAR. If the Warriors kill the children, they invite others to kill theirs. Tit for tat, negative response, by destructive and evil minded warriors. . who solved nothing and created a lot of panic, distortion, insecurity, more enmity and deprived millions from Education, prosperity and security. We salute the young learners of India and Pakistan . . Take avenge through EDUCATION and LOVING PEACE.
It is a pity to see the teachers of Langlands School and College Chitral teachers pretending completely forgetting the state of their own school due to absence of their principal. They express so much joy over the greeting cards from the Indian school kids but none of them is ready what they have been doing in order to improve the standard of their own school. Due to absence of the principal and internal politics in the school among the teachers in order to become close to the British principal has damaged the school to the point of no return.
Can I ask the British principal who is set to return Pakistan sooner or later if there is any truth in media reports that a teacher is involved in politics inside the school by intentionally involving some incompetent students? The British principal talks of merit but can she clarify why this particular first year boy who is now fully involved in politics was given admission by Carey when he scored only three (3) marks in the admission test? I am sorry to say that if Ms Carey kept on giving admissions to incompetent sons and daughters of her school’s teachers, the day is not far when the school will be called nothing but a paradise for the incompetent children.
Remarkable and Appreciable efforts by the team, its true that every journey begins with a single step, I wish someone like Devika Mittal and Aliya Harir were born long ago.. I’d prefer to be a part of the mission and the team if I had a chance..
This is really a very good initiative. The youngsters always hate enmity and war. They love friendship and peace because they are innocent and close to God. Similarly, a majority of our silent elders is against rivalry and hatred. If a Referendum is conducted, I am sure that more than 80% citizen of both the neighboring countries would vote against rivalry. But, the powerful minority of self interest do not want friendship and peace. While the angel like students of Ecole Mondaile School Mumbai were sending New Year greeting Cards of love and peace, the India RAW would be consigning grenades, bombs, terrorism arsenals and support to Pakistani terrorists.Unless all the peace loving people stand up and join hand for creation of harmony and peace, our little students’efforts will bring no change.However, their efforts are highly appreciated.
This is a wonderful initiative by Aaghaz-e-Dosti, and I wish to congratulate both Devika Mittal and Aliya Harir for this wonderful foundation work to build trust and understanding between the youth of two countries. There is no enemy, but it is your own attitude and behavior create gaps and the gaps linked to conflict and ultimately to war.War is not a solution to conflict and dispute, it is the friendship that generate ways to overcome the challenges. Youth leadership will play a positive role to defuse the tension between 1200 million people in both the countries and resources allocated for war should be allocated to welfare and development.