A US programme that brings together students from conflict areas for six weeks of training in peacemaking and conflict resolution has allowed Indians and Pakistanis to forge new friendships.
“I was not brainwashed, not at all. It was my soul that was washed to remove all the stereotypes, distrust, fear and hatred,” Mohammad, a young Pakistani, told State Department officials and his Pakistani, Indian and Afghan peers after returning from the Seeds of Peace International Camp.
Mohammad and his fellow South Asian campers shared stories of how, in his words, they “came to know the truth about” and even befriend “the ‘other side'” at the camp.
An Indian camper recalled her time at the camp saying: “I never imagined the Pakistani friends would be so close to me. They are closer than the friends I’ve made in India.”
“I understand them better now, and I accept their ideas,” she said.
Seeds of Peace is a nongovernmental, non-political programme for which students are chosen through a competitive process involving recommendations, essays and interviews. At the camp held in the state of Maine, students must work together to accomplish tasks and are encouraged to talk about 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.
Currently, Seeds of Peace hosts delegations from the Middle East, South Asia, Turkey and Cyprus, and the Balkans. The South Asian programme was established in 2001, and the Afghan delegation was added the following year.
This year’s campers visited Washington July 14 to share their experiences and see the sights before returning to their countries. John Gastright, deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of South Asian Affairs, welcomed the students, listened to their remarks about their experiences and responded to their questions about US policies.
Gastright said: “Recognising the value of our differences is the first step toward the resolution of conflict.”
He encouraged the students to spread the message of peace in their countries and to maintain their friendships.
“It’s a fact: countries that trade together and work together don’t fight,” he said.
During the question and answer period, hands filled the air. Students were eager to ask about US policy on Kashmir, Iraq, additions to the UN Security Council and terrorism. They also asked how the US feels about Iran as a nuclear power and about allegations of prisoner abuse in Guantanamo Bay and Iraq.
One Pakistani girl, wearing a black head covering over the uniform green Seeds of Peace T-shirt, told Gastright that her mother was extremely worried that the US would brainwash her during the trip and then reported that all Americans she met were “nice, caring” people. She wondered why her mother and many others have such a negative image of Americans.
Gastright said her question is one that everyone in the US is seeking to answer. He said the Seeds of Peace South Asia programme, partially funded by the State Department’s South Asia Bureau, is one way of giving the future generation of South Asians a first-hand acquaintance with the US and its people.
Pakistani camper Mohammad concluded his comments with words that reflected the message carried by many involved with the programme. He said: “We are warriors of hope, we are masters of understanding, we are pioneers of respect, we are soldiers of trust, we are leaders of tomorrow, we are seeds of peace.”