The week started with preparations in full swing for the International Confer-ence on Volunteerism and Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) taking place from December 5 to 7, 2004. The Red Crescent had to present its case study, participate in the inauguration ceremony with fifty volunteers and put up a stall projecting the core areas of its work.
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Convention Center, Islamabad that was hosted by the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) on behalf of the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with UNDP, UNV and the Civil Society of Pakistan. The prime aim of the conference was to enhance understanding of the role and contribution of volunteerism towards the achievement of the MDGs set by the United Nations.
The announcement regarding holding this conference was formally made on June 15, 2004 by the envoy of the Government of Pakistan in Geneva, in the Executive Board meeting of UNDP. It is the first ever such conference held in Pakistan to mark International Volunteer Day on December 5th. Over 150 participants from all over the world and Pakistan and about 40 international research persons and practitioners on volunteerism attended the conference in a bid to reach a better understanding about the opportunities and constraints in promoting volunteerism and how to create an environment for a meaningful, corporative, collective, and individual volunteering inventions in support of each MDG.
The objectives of this conference were to enhance understanding of the role and contributions of volunteerism in relation to the achievement of the MDGs; to provide an opportunity to extend international networks established since the International Year of Volunteers 2001 among major thinkers and activists on the subject of volunteerism; to assist in the formulation of inputs to the Secretary General's report to the 60th session of the UN General Assembly in 2005 on follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit and to contribute to ongoing efforts in Pakistan on the part of the government and Civil Society to facilitate and promote peoples' participation in development.
The Prime Minister, Mr Shaukat Aziz was the chief guest and while addressing the gathering commended efforts of the NCHD, UN organisations and the civil society for taking initiative in organising the event. He said that the spotlight was on Volunteerism in the government, in the region and in the world so as to highlight the resources needed to sustain the present pace for achieving the MDGs. He said he was aware of how difficult it is to organise such events and lauded the organisers for a job well done. He further said that Pakistan had endorsed the MDGs and the government is committed to its achievement. Four pillars of the government's strategy for poverty reduction are achieving high and broad-based economic growth focusing particularly on the rural economy so as to attain macro economic stability; secondly, improving governance and consolidating devolution, both as a means for delivering better development results and ensuring socio-economic justice; investing in human capital with a renewed emphasis on effective delivery of basic social services; bringing the poor, the vulnerable and the backward into the main stream of development and progress. The government continues to raise awareness and renews its commitment at the country level as well as to strengthen national capacities for monitoring and reporting the goals that are to be achieved in the given timeframe. The poverty reduction strategy paper reflects the tentative broad path aligned with the MDGs. The Planning Commission of Pakistan, in consultation with the concerned stakeholders and the ministries, has developed the MDGs framework and the first MDG report would be launched shortly that includes the status and frame of each of the goals, policies and programmes. The major challenge lies in accomplishing the goals and priorities in development assistance. The Prime Minister defined poverty in these words: deprivation in any form is poverty, lack of basic health care, lack of education, lack of security, lack of justice, lack of democratic rights and the freedom to express oneself all these reflect deprivation in one form or the other. And while talking about fighting poverty one should take into account the whole area and the approach should not focus on income poverty alone, as then it would miss many key elements for improving the life of the people of the world and of Pakistan. He appreciated the contribution made by the NGO sector in social development to the vulnerable. This is reflected in the support given to the NGOs by a range of government organisations. He said the poverty reduction strategy outlines the significant role NGOs can play in social service delivery, advocacy and in empowerment. The non-profit voluntary sector of Pakistan has emerged as a significant force in social and human development. It complements the government in many ways. The Pakistan Sector for Philanthropy has been established since August 2001 to lead voluntary philanthropy promotion in Pakistan with the objective of raising broad-based societal understanding of philanthropy and creating a more enabling policy regularly assisted by philanthropy developments. In addition, the National Volunteer Programme, an actor in the NCHD aims to establish linkages between voluntary actors and development and to provide the government with instruments that actively promote citizens' voluntary acts to achieve the MDGs. The voluntary programmes of NCHD strive to address the present national challenges of human development in achieving the MGDs by mobilising thousands of community volunteers across the country. Statistics show that about 70% of Pakistanis are engaged in some form of voluntary work significantly addressing the areas of poverty alleviation, education and health while contributing slightly above 3% of GDP. This is a very high impressive number and this shows how people are willing to contribute to share with the ones who are less fortunate. The creation of this philanthropy center will organise and institutionalise the character of giving which exists in Pakistan. He congratulated each and every person involved in the volunteering activities. He said that there were excellent examples of volunteerism in Pakistan that reflected the commitment of the people to work for the community.
A documentary on Pakistan's contribution in Volunteerism was shown. The Red Crescent Society's involvement in the effort was also given projection along with other organisations. Dr Nasim Ashraf, Chairman NCHD, Carol Bellamy, UNICEF Executive Director and other UN representatives addressed the gathering. The volunteers of various organisations participating in the event were lauded for their contributions. Refreshments were served in the end.
Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy and Islamabad Cultural Forum jointly organised an event that I covered. It featured a talk on 'Present Scenario of Indian Films' by Javed Siddiqui, renowned novelist, dramatist and screenplay writer of India at the Trust for Voluntary Organisations. He discussed the challenges faced by the Indian and Pakistan film industries in the contemporary times.
He felt that there was a big problem being faced by the sub-continents film industry where the audience en block rejects films. He said one could judge the magnitude of this problem by analysing the statistics of the year 2001 where 255 Indian movies were produced and only two were box-office hits.
A hit movie can be analysed in two ways, firstly a hit movie is the one where the money invested in it returns with a profit and secondly whether it is popular and acceptable to the public or not. As far as the first type of hit movies are concerned, there is Indian 'Sex Movie' produced in Rs 150, 00000 and earns around Rs 300,00,000. But he pointed out the state of serious films that are not box-office hit.
While discussing the scenario, he said that the Indians feel that nothing new is being projected in the movies. However, if one analyses the impact of a movie or its reach, then other problems arise. For example, social problems are not highlighted in the type of movies being produced. He felt that India and Pakistan have similar social problems that could act as a strong bond between the two countries.
Indians want problems with regard to women should be reflected in the films so that at least there is a genuine realisation and understanding of these problems if not solutions. Films can be used as a medium through which people are made to ponder about these problems. For a long time such films have not been produced by India or Pakistan where problems are shown in a forthright and honest manner. However, he was of the view that if people belonging to the film industries of both the countries sit together many of these problems can be solved as the film industries of the two countries could support each other in their respective initiatives.
He said that Pakistani audience has already watched the movies that get released in India. This was not at all useful to the Indian movie industry. Pakistanis are a very big audience for Indian films but it is of no use due to the existing barriers.
These barriers have to be removed so that the Pakistani audience can appreciate the Indian films. There will be an eventual change in the atmosphere when political relations between the two countries become better. He felt that relations between India and Pakistan should not be left to the politicians to improve.
Every one of us should try and solve the issues facing the two countries. He said that he was not alone in voicing these views. In fact the whole Indian film industry think tank would more than welcome any suggestions by Pakistani public that would solve the issues facing the two countries.
Later an interactive question/answer session followed. In reply to a question he said that the post Kargil hate movies were the work of opportunists that could be found in every society wanting to cash in on every opportunity and the producers were business people. However, the general public was interested in love and peace rather than hate and war.
Some of the all time favourite movies scripted by Javed Siddiqui are 'Shatranj Kay Khilarhi', 'Umrao Jan Ada', 'Dil Walay Dulhaniya Le Jaengay', 'Dil Tau Pagal Hay', 'Zubeda', 'Fizza', 'Taal' and 'Tehzeeb.'
It was a busy and a hectic week. The winter is crisp, cold and the flowers are in full bloom in Isloo. So long until next week.