"It’s not easy to part yourself from friends who have now become a part of you."
My name is Atiqa Shahid. In September 2014, I was honoured to be selected as a Pakistani delegate for the International Youth Peace Festival 2014 in India. It was amazing to be invited to my neighboring country, one that is considered an enemy state. There I met Ajat Shatru, a trainer for Play for Peace India, and an organizer of the IYPF. Ajat and I discussed many things, from laws to little things. I discovered that both sides of the border have much in common, and I left India with tears in my eyes, not knowing when I’d get the chance to meet my new but very close friends again. I work as a National Project Coordinator for Bonded Labor Liberation Front Societies Baluchistan, Mardan, and Mirpurkhas in Pakistan. Currently, we are working on a Community Development Project, which focuses on education for girls and women. Adult education is a difficult task, and I decided to ask Ajat for help. He started planning a visit with a handful of PFP trainers. I will never forget asking him about financial compensation: he said that it was up to me, and that "Dil Dil Pakistan” (Pakistan is our heart). This was my first time inviting Indian trainers to Pakistan. I couldn’t sleep the night before, knowing that in the morning I would go to the border to pick them up.
Early in the morning, I sent a text to these friends after they crossed into Pakistan: "Welcome to the land that belongs to all of us." I took my youngest sister along because she had never seen the border or met Indians. After she met and ate with them, she sent me a message expressing how wonderful they were, and how similar they are to us. It reminded me of the importance of human interaction in breaking down the barriers in our minds. The training was organized in Lahore for 6 days by Play for Peace in April of 2015. It focused on Adult Education through Experiential Learning. There were 30 people from all the areas where BLLFS operates, including Baluchistan and Sindh. The four key elements of the training were: cooperation, physical and mental safety, inclusion, and fun.
BLLFS works with extremely poor people whose lives are full of struggle. Due to the political instability and terrorism in our country, we often forget to laugh and enjoy ourselves. Arranging training for these people - seeing them smile and laugh - is the ultimate happiness. In the end, everyone gave feedback: most said that they had not attended such training with such kind trainers. One of the participants stated that:
"this training by Play for Peace was not only a new learning experience, but a self catharsis for me."
The PFP India staff remained in Lahore for only 10 days, but the connections they made were unbelievable. Apart from 6 days of training, there were many interaction sessions with students of different ages in various schools, colleges, girl scouts, and other groups. Everyone wanted to host them, despite the hatred spread by the media. People could move past stereotypes. The trainers were invited to my home for lunch. It was the first time my mother had met any Indian or foreigner. She is a simple woman: her world is her house.
After meeting all four of them, she said: "You people are nice and good. Before this, I thought that Hindus were not good." It was embarrassing, but I still felt proud that she was able to change her perspective about this group. After 10 days in Lahore, it was not easy to say goodbye. There was a fear of not seeing each other again. Ajat encouraged me to cry, and indeed my heart was weeping. It’s not easy to part yourself from friends who have now become a part of you. [gallery ids="3722,3725,3723,3726,3727"]
