ISLAMABAD, DEC 13: /DNA/ – The Higher Education Commission, British Council, and Prime Minister’s Youth Programme have entered a new partnership to collaboration in their flagship programmes aimed to contribute to the economic and social development of the Pakistani youth.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister Mr. Wasi Shah was chief guest of the signing ceremony, which was graced with their presence by Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul Qayyum, Country Director British Council Mr. James Thompson and other notables from the three sides.
Deputy Secretary Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Dr. Muhammad Ali Malik, Advisor (Global Engagement) HEC Mr. Awais Ahmed and Country Director British Council Mr. Hampson signed the LoI.
The tripartite collaboration will be focused on the outcomes of Prime Minister Youth Programme’s Green Youth Movement; HEC’s Green Youth Movement; and British Council’s Pakistan Youth Leadership Initiative (PYLI). The primary objectives of the collaboration are to provide essential capacity-building and technical support to Green Youth Movement (GYM) clubs, develop training content, establish connections between GYM Clubs and other development partners on both national and international fronts to enhance the impact of youth initiatives. Additionally, it will cover conduct of training sessions for GYM clubs, focal persons and faculty members, empowering them with the skills necessary to effectively facilitate leadership training. The collaboration will involve the development of a digital platform and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
In his remarks, Mr. Wasi Shah underlined that Pakistan’s vulnerability to the disasters of climate change necessitates a sense of responsibility in the nation. He stressed the need for honing the potential of Pakistani youth, whom he termed the country’s asset, to cope with the challenges of climate change. He said, “under the GYM project, we have established GYM clubs in 137 universities across Pakistan. These clubs are working in five thematic areas which are agriculture and forestry, renewable energy, liquid and solid waste management, water conservation and eco-tourism.”
Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said, “This collaborative effort signifies a commitment to the economic and social development of young people in Pakistan, with a focus on climate action, innovation, and leadership.” Through joint programmes and innovative initiatives, the tripartite partnership aims to create a lasting impact on the youth landscape in the country, he said. He maintained that the three partners will work together to build the capacity of Pakistani youth to face the climate challenges and contribute meaningfully to overcoming these challenges.
Country Director, British Council Pakistan stated that the partnership between PMYP, HEC and the British Council will help young people shape their future as leaders of tomorrow in the face of today’s climate crisis. He said HEC and British Council have long been partners, as the two entities have jointly worked on over 22 projects. Appreciating HEC for its commitment to the cause of promoting higher education in the country, he hoped that the programmes like Pak-UK Education Gateway will yield immense results, bringing the governments and people closer. He affirmed that the world realizes the fact that Pakistan is one of the major victims of climate change. He said that “the partnership among PMYP, HEC and the British Council will help young people shape their future as leaders of tomorrow in the face of today’s climate crisis.”
Executive Director HEC also expressed his views on the occasion and extended his gratitude to the partners on collaborating with HEC in such an important initiative.
