Play for Peace recognizes that the youth in the region are in need of support...The games help them to overcome shyness, develop leadership and responsibility, and improve their mental health.
We are providing an update on recent events in Kashmir, a state in India where Play for Peace has worked with children and youth in the past. We believe that sharing stories about current events in places where we have shared our programs helps create greater understanding and connection with others around the world. Violence has once again erupted in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir after a 22-year-old who wanted an independent Kashmir was killed by Indian security forces.
According to media reports, thousands have been injured and Kashmir’s hospitals are overwhelmed. There are also reports that over 100 people are facing possible blindness due to pellets lodged in their eyes from pellet guns used by the police and security forces to control crowds. Some believe that the use of a “firm hand” by the government is not an answer to the problem. Instead, the Indian government needs to reach out to the youth and give them a sense of purpose. This message resonates with many given the issue of unemployment in the region. One US-based development agency found that 48 percent of the youth in Kashmir were unemployed. Commenting on this issue, one senior police officer who engages with Kashmiri youth said the following in a Times of India article: “..lack of resources and avenues to engage youth in meaningful ways will always drive youth towards the miscreants in this society.
In the absence of healthy sources of entertainment and competitive sports, they're inevitably going to be on the streets, either as a mob or harmlessly wasting away their lives…” Engaging with youth is one way that Play for Peace can achieve its mission of creating a more peaceful world. Through cooperative play, we have a universal and non-threatening platform around which people in areas of conflict can come together, dissolve differences, and see what connects us rather than what divides us. Play for Peace recognizes that the youth in the region need support. As described in a trip log to the region in 2013, the children of Kashmir often suffer from depression, anger, and emotional withdrawal. The games help them to overcome shyness, develop leadership and responsibility, and improve their mental health. As in any community, these skills can translate to a push for a better environment. Photo courtesy of BBC News.
