CULTIVATING HOPE - A FIGHT
AGAINST EXTREMISM IN PAKISTAN
PAKISTAN’S FIRST NATIONAL INTER-UNIVERSITY
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
The Cultivating Hope project, a joint initiative
of SAMAA TV and HEC aims at engaging the youth on the vital
subject of extremism in Pakistan. Based on the current socio-political
situation of Pakistan, the project was designed to call out
for innovative measures to not only control the increasing
extremism but to create an environment, where the awareness
of such extreme acts, its impact on the life of the people
and the development of the nation would play an eminent role
in changing the mindsets of those who are unfortunate to be
enrolled in such evil acts.
Cultivating Hope” was launched amongst 600,000 students
across the country to create a nationwide youth engagement
on the subject as well as carry out healthy interactive debate.
This resulted in a successful outreach among the youth and
empowered them to play a key role in bringing out the essence
of a tolerant and progressive society. The project carries
a high emphasis on innovation and usage of technology and
also provides a creative communication platform for expression
Award ceremony for competition winners was
held at HEC auditorium on 22 June 2010. The award ceremony
was held under the presence of the Chief Guest Dr. Javaid
R. Leghari, Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Mr.
Imtiaz Zaidi, CEO SAMAA TV, executive members from both organizations,
faculty members from various nationwide universities, members
of the media industry and enthusiastic students. The submitted
documentaries for the competition came from all across the
country with Mr. Hassan Raza from University of Engineering
and Technology Taxila bagging fifth position in the competition
bagging a cash prize of Rs. 50,000. His documentary
titled AZM of duration 14 Minutes is available at http://hasanphd.wordpress.com/
Mr. Imtiaz Zaidi, CEO SAMAA TV congratulated the winning students
and shared that SAMAA TV launched this project as an effort
to curb one of Pakistan’s most urgent call of time and
place - to nurture the virtue of hope. He said that SAMAA
TV wanted to serve as a beacon of hope to the broader community
and has therefore taken up the important task as a media organization
to educate for hope. The SAMAA management also expressed great
appreciation and acknowledgement for the support of the HEC
for joining and supporting them in these landmark initiatives.
