 |
Lahore, June 21, 2007 – U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Kathleen Eagen standing with students selected to attend a "Seeds of Peace" summer camp in Maine, USA from June 25 through July 17, 2007.
|
Kathleen Eagen Urges Students to Spread the Message of Peace
Lahore – At a pre-departure reception today, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Kathleen Eagen urged Pakistani students to "spread the message of peace." A total of 9 children selected from five Lahore schools will attend a "Seeds of Peace" summer camp in Maine, USA from June 25 through July 17, 2007.
"Participation in the Seeds of Peace program will empower you to take the important step from interest to action; to commit yourselves to make a difference, to change something. Recognizing the value of our differences is the first step towards the resolution of conflict," she said.
In 2001, Seeds of Peace launched a pilot program for Indian and Pakistani teenagers from Mumbai and Lahore. Since then, over 100 Indian and Pakistani students have participated in the program, with another 20 from the two countries set to attend the camp this summer. Students are chosen through a competitive process involving recommendations, essays and interviews.
Talking with the students and their parents, Ms. Eagen hoped the children would "maintain the many friendships they form during the summer camp."
Ms. Narmeen Adeel, one of the participants, said that she was "excited at the prospect of meeting students from around the world,” while Mr. Rana Mujtaba said "the summer camp would provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about other cultures and faiths."
Seeds of Peace is a New York-based non-governmental, non-political organization founded in 1993. The program brings together children from various conflict regions around the world for six-weeks of activities designed to promote peacemaking and conflict resolution skills between students from both sides of a conflict.
At the Seeds of Peace camp in Maine, students work together to accomplish tasks and are encouraged to talk about the issues that divide their nations. They live together, share meals and engage in various summer camp activities, including playing sports, going through obstacle courses and creating art projects.
|
