The Young Facilitators Journey to YLC

Screaming on the Volley Ball court, landing with a twisted ankle, not realising what to do next, was when the thought occurred to me again. I was yet again in a similar situation surrounded by young people in their early and mid twenties, all energized trying to play a sport which they knew not much off. But, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were involved. Meeting new people, new faces, and accommodating anyone and everyone who had the passion to play. They didn’t care whether someone was worse that amateurs They were all there to support each other and help everyone pick up their game.

Similarly exactly a month ago, I had found myself in an exact situation, while attending the 10th Young Leaders Conference, 2011 organized by the School of Leadership. I was surrounded by some 400 young individuals as the whole hall was vibrating and glowing with energy. Though there were students and young professionals all around, the Sheraton Hotel, Karachi was buzzing with young people from all corners of Pakistan.

Most of the focus was on the participants. Everyone was speaking to them, Session speakers, media personnel and whoever wanted to know more about the conference, wanted to hear the participants out. But as I would walk down the halls, any one of the Young Facilitators (YFs) would smile and walk down with me. Giving me the royal treatment. It would be the YF’s on call whenever I needed something, or any student needed an advice, or help with anything. It was the YF’s running around for all the work, Session Speakers, facilitating them, helping and guiding them. The Young Facilitators to me were the true pillars holding the Fortress called “Young Leaders Conference.” It was them, who were tested to their greatest abilities and strength. They were the soldiers in shining armor, keeping things calm and composed and not letting the participants feel any less important.

In those 6 days, I did manage to speak to a few YF’s myself, only to find out more about them, and their love story with School of Leadership, mostly trying to understand their chain of thought to a journey they will surely never forget in their lifetime.

Surprisingly, most of the YF’s at the Young Leaders conference are previous YLCians. It’s the whole culture, heart to heart connection with anyone and everyone who wants to bring a change in themselves. Bilal Nazar Sibtain, Maalik Khaskhely the duo champ team who got acquainted with the world of YLC and SoL family in 2009, and nothing makes them give up their love for the YLC family. They love to touch more lives, and share hands with SoL in changing paradigms and mindsets for the youth.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Maddi Murtaza a Young Trainer and a successful entrepreneur feels no different about the magic of YLC. Someone, who took a jump start in their academic life with engineering and leaving it midway knows now exactly what intrigues and moves him. Maddi himself feels, once becoming a part of YLC was a realization to his “method to the madness.” He felt much closer to a world similar to him, wanting to change lives and improve upon the lives of others. Lost in the mediocre mindset that majority of our youth shares; it’s a sole mission for Maddi to eradicate all kinds of negative thoughts and replace them with constructive madness.

The queen thinker behind the Idealistic theme of the 10th YLC is none other than Namreen Akhtar. She herself being a part of YLC in 2009, has been fascinated and inspired by the people who run the show. Namreen who had recently attended an International Youth Conference in Turkey, had returned all charged up with renewed energy to find her country in the midst of the worse floods the nation would ever encounter. There was a lot of energy and hope, and form while planning ahead for the upcoming YLC. She knew that the theme had to be Big and Strong. Thus, Emaan, Itehad & Tanzeem – Inqilaab came into existence. Even though her education was her main priority, this young graduating student has never said ‘NO’ while helping the YLC team organise themselves.

Zainab Haider another YF who was a participant at the 2009 YLC too has never looked back since her first interaction with the SoL. Being a participant of YLC, it had touched & moved her to such an extent, that she flew to Lahore to attend the TTYT (Train the Young Trainer) at the very next chance.

What amazed me is that these young individuals were so passionate about YLC and empowering their fellow youth members, they are more than excited to volunteer for 6 days at the conference and not only that, they go through a rigorous 5 day Boot Camp just before the conference commences.

After being around these extra energized young lot of YF’s, I have still to feel any less motivated and less energized. The drive and passion to make things happen not only for themselves but to help improvise things around them is absolutely spectacular.

Since the end of YLC, I have noticed numerous youth & skill development training, Public speaking & confidence building workshops conducted by these same Young Facilitators adamant to change the world. I would like to wish all these young individuals the best of Luck in their endeavors to change the world around them.

Signing out till the next YLC: Asma Inayat 

The Idea and the Experience – Rebirth of YLC 2011

Every morning on my way to the School of Leadership (SoL), I would pass “Teen Talwar”- the monument of three marble swords, constructed in reverence to the future Quaid envisioned for Pakistan. “Unity, Faith, Discipline”-words iterated and reiterated by people seeking to inspire, bring back the passion with which the nation was built, words delicately woven into poetry in the hope that the few songs sung every 14 August would spark some patriotism. In some distant corner of my heart too, the same words reverberated with an aching to be brought to life with a focus on action. 10th Young Leader’s Conference was to be that revival, of not just a mere quotation but of the spirit too that must reflect the Quaid’s devotion to this country.

A revolution of sorts is needed to give back to this nation the strength it deserves.  A revolution brought about by uniting in our diversity to tolerate and respect religions, cultures and values different from ours while cherishing the common bond we share in many ways. A revolution persevered with faith in our ability to the shape the future. Lastly a disciplining of our energies to the common goal of salvaging our nation, through focused effort towards elimination of corruption, empowerment of youth, and education.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Armed with a mere idea, banking on Apple’s creed that an “idea can change the world” – I went to SoL, hoping that this presentation would triumph others’ and I be chosen to lead this YLC. And so it happened, an opportunity anyone would dream of. As a business student, I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of conceptualizing the conference, of building corporate relations, formulating marketing strategies and of experiencing a corporate culture at SoL that encourages personal growth. And so I continued for six months to juggle full time studies with the responsibilities that come as project manager. For me, YLC turned out to be a reawakening within myself- a close scrutiny of my strengths, weaknesses and abilities.

“Itehad.Imaan.Tanzeem- Inqilab” (Unity. Faith. Discipline- Revolution) was in its nascent stages when I had to painfully detach myself from the project. But gathering hope from the fact that the Quaid too entrusted a nascent Pakistan to the hands of the youth; I left YLC to the true custodians of a future brimming with hope, to the force that has driven the conference since its inception, to the youth of this country.

By Namreen Akhter Syed

The writer is an undergraduate student at IBA, Karachi, and also a public speaker/ trainer.

YLC’11 – What are the Young Leaders saying?

The Young Leaders’ Conference 2011 has come to an end after 6 action packed days of non-stop learning and development. The participants will remember the words “Emman”, “Ittehad”, “Tanzeem”, and “Inqilaab”, the theme of the conference, for a long time to come. After many months of hard struggle for sponsorships and other methods of financing, the participants came to the conference with a lot of excitement and expectations. We talked with a few participants and facilitators about their aspirations and expectations from the YLC’11.

Sagar Malik from Khairpur was one of the participants we got a chance to talk with. Sagar is also the current president of the Rotaract Club of Khairpur.  “YLC is a platform that will enable me to develop into a confident professional, a team player, allow me to make new friends, and will teach me how to deal with tough life situations. I have already made a few friends and looking forward to make many more”, said Sagar when asked about his YLC experience.

Nosherwani Mazari from Sadiqabad expressed his views on Day 1 of the conference: “It has been a great experience so far. We are having a lot of fun and learning new things. I further expect to open up my mind and look at the world in a new way. When I go back home after the conference, I want to take back with me leadership skills. We expect everything to be done by the government, by the president, or the prime minister. But the fact is that we need to play our own individual roles for the betterment of the society”. When asked about the diversity of participants from all over the country, he said, “I have met people from Swabi, from Kohat, and even from Waziristan…it’s truly amazing”.

Another participant we got a chance to catch up with was Hamna Qureshi from Islamabad. “It’s been a great experience so far, I’ve met a lot of people and I’ve made new friends. I’ve interacted with people from places that I didn’t even know existed in Pakistan, so I feel great that I’ve got a chance to learn about the different kinds of people, cultures, and traditions that exist in our country. The diversity I’m witnessing here has opened up my mind” she said. When asked about what she expects to get out of this conference, she said, “I hope to learn leadership skills, gain confidence, and public speaking skills”. About the rest of the participants at the conference, she said, “I have found them to be very cooperative and friendly. They’re easy to talk to, down to earth, be it people from different cities or villages, they’re all very accommodating and helpful”.

The kind of talent we saw at the YLC’11 from all over the country, gives Pakistan great hope for times to come. Witnessing the Young Leaders of 2011 debate on different complex issues that exist in today’s Pakistani society and hear them talk about their hopes and aspirations about their country was truly heartening. Surely, the future of Pakistan is in good hands.

 

Written By: M. Athar Ali Khan

YLC’11 so far

We’re more than half way through the Young Leaders’ Conference and it has been a very enlightening experience so far. Participants and young leaders from all over Pakistan and a few other countries including Indonesia and Mexico, have gathered on a single platform to exchange views and learn from some of the top leaders and sharpest minds in the country.

Day 1 started off with an inaugural session, after which representatives from the sponsoring companies were introduced and expressed their opinions and hopes about the conference. The participants divided into teams and were engaged in ice breaking activities so that they could be introduced to each other. There was a session on Life Coaching by later in the evening followed by Dinner by Bank Alfalah. The day ended with a session on identifying your own potential.

Day 2 and 3 were just as exciting and intense and included breakout sessions by different renowned personalities. The highlight of day 3 was the Power of Expression series where different breakout sessions were conducted on dance, theatre, music, film and street power.

It was an interesting turn of events when the participants reached the Countryside Chalet from Sheraton Hotel on Day 4. The participants encountered some problems with the facilities at the venue and had to be moved back to Sheraton Hotel for Day 5.

It has been an exhilarating experience so far and young leaders from all over Pakistan and abroad have put forward their diverse points of view. We have witnessed some heated debates on gender equality and discrimination on Day 5. Mr. Javed Jabbar, in his session, encouraged the youth to believe in an alternate world, to take full advantage of the explosive growth in information technology and media, and equip themselves for the future. He also talked about believing in Global Humanism and universal tolerance.

There’s surely much more to come in the remaining day and a half of the YLC’11. Please stay up to date on twitter by following us @DawninEducation and through our Facebook page http://Facebook.com/Dawnineducation

Kalaam: Intercultural Dialogue

An Intercultural Dialogue with the Ambassadors of Change, and boy was it surely an eye opener as a morning session dialogue/ session on a Sunday Morning.

We had guests from across various fields and each one of them are captains of their own ship,sailing it to a point where they want to take it, and how they want to take it is surely not decided by the winds of tide,but by their own inspiration, passion and the common sense which keeps knocking on everyone’s head.

A very dynamic panel starting off with Ms. Sidra Iqbal. She need not require much introduction. A famous face in the Media Industry with her eloquent talk shows, especially in the field of business and management. Sidra is also known to others as an internally acclaimed public speaker, who was and still is a passionate debater since her school days. She held the honor of being the youngest finalist amongst 167 participants from all over the country at the Prime Minister’s Shield 1999; the most coveted All-Pakistan Debating Championship.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

(Picture Credit Masood Akbar from Zsuzsanna Fajcsak DrZsu Album)

We had the pleasure of Mr. Deepak Parwani, who needs no introduction, is known as one of Pakistan’s well-reputed and brilliant fashion designers. He is more famous for men’s dress designing and is amongst those who established men’s fashion in Pakistan. His most claimed statement is his Signs that represents Power and Men’s confidence; but in a stylish way. He never follows the traditional or ongoing Fashion statement of the country; rather he makes his own.  He tells people ‘what to wear’ and ‘how to carry’ what they wear.

Dr Zsuzsanna Fajcsak is the founder of ALIVE™, that aims to build entrepreneurs, applied health practices; provide executive coaching services and is involved in several developmental projects in Pakistan.
Zsuzsanna has been schooled in Europe and the USA, and holds a Doctoral degree in nutrition, as well as Master’s degrees in Teaching Physical Education, Exercise Physiology and Clinical Nutrition. She is a Certified NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Time Line Therapy™ Coach, Certified Nutrition Specialist (Member of the American College of Nutrition), Certified in Functional Diagnostic Medicine, who is passionate about the human mind and its power over physical health and performance.

And not to forget our very own notorious Khalid Malik of the Breakfast Show at City FM89. Khalid started off his career at a very early stage, and in his very young age, Khalid Malik has made huge strides. He is an actor, presenter, RJ and producer. His achievements include acting in movies like Superman Returns, Shanti, Love and Ice Tea, and Me and on TV for MTV and several other dramas and comedies. As an RJ, he has been on the Indian Link Radio in Sydney and currently hosts the Breakfast Show on City fm 89.

Among the celebrities he has interviewed are Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Lara Dutta, Ayesha Takia, Javed Jaffery, Pooja Bedi, Manisha koirala, Kabir Bedi, Arbaaz Khan, Meera, Shiamak Dawar, and many many more. Also amongst Khalid’s success stories have been his involvement with Chalo Australia and MTV Pakistan on World Music Chart shows and breakfast shows.

The session was moderated by none other than Mr. Abbas Husain, who is an M.A. in English Literature and M.Ed. (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) from Manchester University, UK. Abbas Husain received professional training at the Universities of Toronto, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Chicago. He served as Lecturer and Assistant Professor from 1981 to 1992 in Department of English at Karachi University. He is one of the founder members of SPELT and has participated in all national and international conferences from 1987 to date.

Abbas Husain is a corporate trainer and has been a guest speaker at the National Defense University, Islamabad, Pakistan Navy Staff College; Pakistan Air War College, at NIPA, Karachi. He has been a consultant for UNICEF at the Regional Conference in Khatmandu, Nepal.  He has presented on GEO TV, Indus TV, NewsOne, PTV and DAWNNEWS in educational and religious programs. As Director, Teacher’s Development Centre, he has conducted Master Teacher’s Courses and has so far reached over 35,000 teachers all over Pakistan and contributed 320 teacher trainers to the national pool of trainers. He is recognized as a source of original thinking in education and has been invited by several education institutions as a speaker across the country and internationally.

For more details logon to our Facebook Page