Pluralism, culture of dialogue termed must for peace, progress.

MINGORA -- Promotion of pluralism and a culture of dialogue among all the communities, and between the state and its citizens is essential for prosperous and peaceful Pakistan, said speakers at a seminar in Kalam, Swat, on Friday.

The seminar was organised by Swat-based Idara Baraye Taleem-o-Taraqi and attended by representatives of various communities living in the north. The participants included teachers, researchers, language and culture activists, religious leaders and social activists from Gigit-Baltistan, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Peshawar and Islamabad.

Mohammad Amir Rana, head of the Institute for Peace Studies, Islamabad, Dr Khadim Hussain, head of Bacha Khan Trust Education Foundation, The University of Sydney professor and linguist Dr Ahmar Mahboob and writer and journalist Sabookh Syed were among the key speakers.

Dr Mahboob says there is need to decolonise education

Mr Rana called for continued dialogue among all sections of the society with empathy, respect and appreciation of the diversity Pakistan was bestowed with.

'The various 'opposing' groups are also ready to speak to each other and negotiate the diversity, but it seems they have deliberately been left to widen the gap,' he said.

Dr Hussain said that for a genuine pluralistic society they needed to change the very vocabulary of social interaction and socialisation. 'We define many of our social relationships...

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