Raj Kumar Gujar, a Hindu youth from Pakistan has become the first Pakistani to win the prestigious ‘Emerging Young Leaders Award’ which is given by the US State Department. Raj Kumar was among the 10 youth who were selected from across the globe for their positive role in building sustainable peace.
The youth that was selected for the award were from countries including Malta, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Algeria, Tajikistan, Belgium, Vietnam, Peru, and Israel. According to a report in Express Tribune, Gujar who hails from Sindh;s Umerkot district, now wishes to go back to his province and make efforts to work for peace, harmony, and education.
While speaking to Express Tribune, Raj said that he has plans to come up with a cross-border literature festival in a bid to promote peace and education. “Continuing my efforts for peace, education, women empowerment and against extremism and intolerance, I have conceived a plan to organise a cross-border literature festival and a road-show of Mai Dhai [a folk singer from Tharparkar who catapulted to prominence after her maiden song released by the Coke Studio],” Kumar told the daily.
The report further stated that Raj Kumar also plans bring the writers from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan together in a festival that will be organised in Islamabad. A business management, Raj Kumar is making efforts to get sponsorship from US as the festival that is planning to come up with require funds. To start with, the young activist also plans to hold a conference to restore harmony and peace in his hometown.
“Raj recognises the power of traditional and social media to influence views; he wrote a piece titled ‘My Journey as a Pakistani Hindu’, that was picked up by a leading English-language newspaper in Pakistan, Express Tribune,” the State Department had said during the selection.
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