2022 Pakistan Youth Leadership Jam
YOU ARE INVITED TO THE 7TH PAKISTAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP JAM
Islamabad, PAKISTAN
November 13-18, 2022
Read the 2022 Pakistan Jam invitation in Urdu! (as a PDF)
Download the Pakistan Jam Application 2022 Urdu version and scan and email to pakistanyouthjam@gmail.com
Or, apply online with the application form in English!
PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 5, 2022
FINAL APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 5, 2022
NOTE: If you are receiving this information after OCTOBER 5TH, 2022, please contact us at <pakistanyouthjam@gmail.com> before applying to make sure there are still spaces available.
WHY ‘JAM’?
In music, a “JAM” is a creative, live gathering of talented musicians who together spontaneously create a new sound whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Similarly for us, a YES! JAM is a place where changemakers make ‘music’ with their passion, vision, openness and courage. They bring what they have to the space and create together with no preconceived script. The Jam asks that all the players are present and ready to deeply listen to each other and co-create with each other, to weave layers of sounds, experience, knowledge and spirit together. In the realness of this connection, magic can be created.
To date, more than 180 JAMs have been held on five continents, bringing together young and multigenerational leaders from more than 85 nations. The Pakistan Youth Leadership JAM is also being organized by JAM alumni in Pakistan, and is being supported by YES!, a nonprofit organization that connects, inspires and collaborates with changemakers towards creating thriving, just and sustainable ways of life for all.
I THINK YOU ARE THE TURNING POINT FOR ME AND IN MY LIFE. I FELT THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST RAY OF SUN WHICH ENLIGHTEN THE EARTH AND GIVE NEW HOPES. SAME AS FOR ME – THAT YOU MAKE CONNECTION BETWEEN MY SOUL AND BODY. YOU PROVIDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE FOCUSED AND REVISIT MY LIFE, SHARE MY SORROW AND WORRIES AND GET INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, STRENGTH FOR TOMORROW. YOU PROVIDED ME SUCH A PLATFORM TO LIVE AMONG BEAUTIFUL AND PURE SOULS AND PERSONS, TO LISTEN TO THEM AND SPEAK WHAT I AM FEELING, THINKING, UNDERSTANDING. QUESTIONS IN MY MIND GOT SOME ANSWERS, TO CLEAR SOME QUERIES. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THANK YOU FOR SUCH NICE MOMENTS, FRIENDS AND EVERYTHING WHICH I LEARNT.”
– NASEEM ARA, 29, WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT WORKER, ISLAMABAD
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE JAM?
The JAM is a unique gathering, co-created by the participants and facilitators together. It is not a conference, seminar or a typical meeting. The event specifically tries to address the three levels: the internal, the interpersonal, and the social/systemic, to offer an opportunity for deep, holistic exploration. Through activities like facilitated dialogue, sharing circles, dance, music, artistic expression, organized networking, games, yoga, participant-led workshops, outdoor adventure, and lots of free time for spontaneous interactions amongst the participants, we will together explore our own experiences, questions and dynamics. Through these activities, exchanges and just plain hanging out together, we get a chance to take stock, see things from new perspectives, activate our imaginations, creativity and curiosity, to align our vision and values, face our fears and overcome our blocks, to heal, and to find new friends and partners in our journey.
JAM IMPACT ON THE PERSONAL LEVEL:
Participants have a place to share and reflect on their life journeys and their work in the world. It is a time to replenish, recharge and renew, and to gain specific and practical tools for self-care and personal sustainability. It is also an opportunity to grow in self-knowledge, to ask meaningful questions, to unlearn our fears and blocks, to realize our gifts and potentials, and to co-create new possibilities in our lives and work.
JAM IMPACT ON THE INTERPERSONAL LEVEL:
The group comes together to share our cultures, stories and struggles with each other, to deepen in our understanding of each other and of ourselves. The JAM values diversity and seeks to bring together as diverse a group of people as possible. During the week, the opportunity is provided to discover our commonalities and celebrate our differences. Given the conflicts happening in the country, it is not always easy to hold onto a vision of cooperation that exists beyond the narrative of ‘us’ vs. ‘them’. The JAM seeks to create dialogues that build on what is common among us, in which our differences are engaged, not with antagonism, but with a spirit of shared learning. We see the JAM as a chance to move from the demon-ization that is so prevalent today, to the human-ization we so desperately need for a healthier future. The intention is to build trust and friendship, in a meaningful (not superficial) way. This means challenging stereotypes, being present with each other, speaking truth, working through tough places and being open to giving and receiving support. We feel that the more authentic our relationships are, the stronger the foundations we will have for developing new collaborations and synergies within our country.
JAM IMPACT ON THE SYSTEMIC LEVEL:
Through the JAM, the group becomes clearer about our vision and works in Pakistan and in the world. We get a chance to link issues that aren’t commonly linked, to notice crucial intersection points, and get a clearer picture of the whole. We come together to learn from each other: about what is working, about what mistakes we have made, about where we need help. We have a chance to share tools and ideas to support one another. In turn, we hope this helps us to generate a body of collective wisdom for positive action in the country. We also hope it will enable each participant to feel deepened in their capacity to affect meaningful change and carry their dreams forward.
I TAKE OUT 5 DAYS FROM MY BUSY LIFE FOR YOU, TO UNDERSTAND YOU AND ME AS WELL. I WON’T BELIEVE HOW THESE FIVE DAYS CHANGED MY PERCEPTION ABOUT ME AND PEOPLE. I EXPLORE MYSELF IN THESE DAYS AND MADE THE CONNECTION OF MY SOUL WITH MY BODY. I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPRESS WHAT I AM FEELING THIS LAST NIGHT BUT I AM FEELING THAT TODAY I AM REAL, ORIGINAL, AND MYSELF. YOU EQUIPPED ME WITH SOME JAM TOOLS, AND I’LL ALWAYS USE THEM IN MY HOME AND WORK PLACE. I AM FEEING HONORED BEING A JAMILY NOW. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR LOVE, RESPECT, AND THE SPACE YOU PROVIDED ME WITH TO OPEN.”
– SAMAR SULTANA, 27, TRAINER, I-ACT, KARACHI
WHY JAM IN PAKISTAN?
Pakistan carries the brunt of youth population, which has been excluded and vulnerable due to lack of direction and opportunities for positive engagement. Subsequently, youth is wedged into militancy and conflict that triggers violence. The profound lack of institutional capacity in conflict mitigation and peace building, combined with shrinking opportunities for dialogue and engagement, leave communities incapable of understanding and resolving the complex mix of conflicts that impact their daily lives. It’s also believed that the local youth institutions do not have the legitimacy or the capacity to play a decisive role in resolving the conflicts. Traditional tribal dispute resolution processes have become ineffective, space for dialogue and negotiation is restricted.
Pakistan has one of the largest youth populations in the world; half of the country’s population is below the age of 24. Different forces within society are competing for young people’s attention and allegiance, not the least among them being extremist groups who are eager to radicalize young people and recruit them to participate in acts of violence. Extremism in Pakistan is threatening the very viability of the state and continues to destroy the social cohesion and traditions of communities across the country. Based on our interactions with these youth, we know that there is a very fine line between the decision to join a peaceful, positive path to change and that of violent extremism.
Youth need opportunities to participate in local development activities and decision-making. They need to be involved in productive roles, which enable them to effectively communicate with the systems. Young people need to feel a sense of belonging through organizations owned and led by them. Their optimism, energy, and genuine desire to transform society provide opportunity and hope.
The past 10 years have been very critical for the country with the emergence of sectarian violence and Baloch insurgency in the province of Balochistan. The external factors and perceived involvement of neighboring Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arab and India are elements that have been confusing for young people of Pakistan.
The role of media is another important factor which has greatly influenced the mind-set and opinion of young people. The information that reaches youth through a variety of media sources is raw and biased and therefore sometimes counter-productive.
Seven Pakistani youth from all over the country were part of the World Youth Leadership Jam and the Middle East Jam in the last 11 years. From those experiences, there had been discussions to open such kind of spaces to other youth too within the country.
The Pakistan JAM will unite a group of 30 diverse young leaders who are working for economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and healthy relations between diverse peoples. These 30 thirty outstanding young leaders from different parts of the country will gather for a week of networking, leadership development, and community building. Young visionaries whose life and work is already bringing much to their communities come together to see how, with support from peers and sharpening of their strategies, they can do even more to better their communities and their world.
WHO CAN ATTEND?
We are generally looking for participants between the ages of 20-40, Individuals involved in a social change process in their communities. However, we are not too rigid about age and glad to make exceptions if there are suitable applications. If you are open to learning from each other, excited about making new friends, and willing to push the limits of your comfort zone, then probably this event is for you.
“I WAS IN A GREAT DOUBT ABOUT ATTENDING YOUTH JAM MAINLY BECAUSE SO MANY LEARNING EVENTS WERE HAPPENING IN PAKISTAN WHICH WERE MONOTONOUS AND REPETITIVE THAT MY DESIRE TO LEARN THROUGH LEARNING SESSION ALMOST VANISHED AWAY. THIS IS IRONIC FOR ME AS WELL SINCE L MYSELF AM A PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKER. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF REASONS WHY NOW I WOULD CALL IT AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE. THE JAM ALLOWED ME TO DEEPEN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY INNER CORE, MY SOUL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PAKISTAN YOUTH JAM FOR SUPPORTING ME TO CONNECT MY WITH MYSELF, TO UNDERSTAND MY CONCERNS, AND ENCOURAGING ME TO OPEN THE DOORS OF MY HEART TO TRUST PEOPLE AND MAKE FRIENDS. THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL ALIVE ONCE AGAIN.”
– ZAIN GOPLANI, 24, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINER, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
DATES, VENUE AND CONTRIBUTION
The JAM is usually held in a naturally beautiful place, away from the hustle-bustle of modern life, so that it is both inspiring and rejuvenating. The Pakistan Youth Leadership JAM will be held in a beautiful nature center in Mehergrah just outside of Islamabad.
We ask the participants to make and cover their own travel arrangements, and also contribute Rs. 8000/- toward their food and accommodation and program expenses. We were able to do some fundraising to bring the costs down to this rate; however we also realize that this is still a significant amount for many people, and we do not want money to be an impediment to your participation. So if you are able to contribute more – wonderful! The extra amount will go towards our scholarship pool. And if you are not able to contribute as much, we want you too! We can work out scholarships and/or work-trade arrangements as needed. We ask you to consider between Rs. 4000-12000/- for your participation.
APPLY TODAY!
Read the 2022 Pakistan Jam invitation in Urdu (as a PDF)!
Download the Pakistan Jam Application 2022 Urdu version and scan and email to pakistanyouthjam@gmail.com
PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 5, 2022
FINAL APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 5, 2022
Please feel free to contact us at pakistanyouthjam@gmail.com if you have any queries. We eagerly look forward to hearing from you.
We look forward to Jamming with you!
Warmly,
Asif Lehri, Quetta
Hashim Khan, Islamabad
Noorudin Merchant, Karachi
Ruqqya Kanwal, Quetta
Saboor Ahmed Kakar, Quetta and Islamabad
Sheran Panezai, Quetta
Shilpa Jain, Berkeley, US
Organizer
Saboor Ahmed Kakar,
Islamabad/Quetta, Pakistan
He feels fortunate that he became part of the JAM community and his beautiful self-explorative journey with Pakistan Leadership Jam started in 2017. Ahmed is a leader since his childhood, he loved to serve the community. Ahmed is a social development practitioner who serves in different regions of Pakistan. He has more than 10 years of experience with various NGOs and INGOs. He truly believes in gender equality, youth development, education, and peacebuilding. His perspective became more clear when he gets his degree in Gender Studies from one of the prestigious universities of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. Ahmed served as” National Youth Leader Pakistan” & His spirit of volunteerism and leadership qualities make him nominated for the presidential award. His excellency President of Pakistan awarded him the best volunteer of Pakistan award. Moreover, he also received the world’s top ten volunteer awards by incitement. Saboor dreams of a world full of peace and acceptance for all and is enthusiastic to contribute his part. Jam community is very close to his heart because he feels they are helping him to achieve his dream. Saboor spends his leisure time with Jamily, he loves travelling, watching cricket and jamming.
Ruqqya Kanwal is currently serving Afghan refugees and hosted communities as “Protection Associate” in DANESH in collaboration with UNHCR in Quetta, Balochistan. Ruqqya strives for the sustainable development of vulnerable and marginalized individuals and groups of people. She is a humanitarian actor who enjoys helping people who are suffering and is in the study of saving lives. For achieving this, it is her core skill to be responsible, conscious of the circumstances of other people’s lives, to help them on the basis of need, without discrimination. Ruqqya has experience in the fields of Gender and Empowerment, Protection, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups, Eco-Socio, Psycho-Socio, Youth as an Active Behavior Change (YABC), Active Citizenship, Training and Development of Mental and Physical Growth, Transforming Leadership Approaches, Effective Communication Skills, Stress Management and Problem Solving Skills. She enjoys supporting and facilitating to make younger generations more self-resilient in any situation. As a facilitator, she has tried to help groups learn in peer to peer ways, to sensitize them to work better together in understanding their common objectives, to chalk out how to develop realistic plans to achieve their desired goals. Her facilitation skills provide a roadmap for groups to utilize their available resources to achieve their personal or collective targeted milestones. During disaster or in peace, Ruqqya has emerged as a humanitarian aid worker. She manages projects in areas suffering from war, natural disasters and other complex problems. Typically, she operates in front-line conditions, distributing humanitarian aid to people who have been hit by human or natural disasters. Ruqqya is feeling very delighted to be part of the JAM and has inner satisfaction to work for the betterment of both men and women. She has get-up-and-go energy, full of passion to sustain her capabilities and transform generations.
Nooruddin Merchant has been serving in the field of education, learning and development since last 20 years. He has worked with educational institutions including Aga Khan Education Service Pakistan as K-12 educator on integrating ICT and library into learning. Currently he is working with Habib University as Assistant Director, Library and Education Programs. He has led a number of youth development initiatives and projects in Karachi – Sindh in collaboration with the Youth Affairs Department, Government of Sindh. He has played instrumental role in designing library spaces, programs and services at Habib University. As an independent learning facilitator, he has been active in conducting workshops for community leaders and leaders of corporate and education sector organizations on projects and program planning and workplace collaboration, ICTs integration into learning. He is poised to work with innovative ideas and programs and always keen in building partnerships and networks.
Shilpa Jain is currently rooting herself in Oakland/Berkeley, CA. For 11+ years, she served as the Executive Director of YES!, working with social changemakers at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal and systemic change, and aiming to co-create thriving, just and balanced ways of life for all. Prior to taking on this role, Shilpa spent two years as the Education and Outreach Coordinator of Other Worlds and ten years as a learning activist with Shikshantar: The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, based in Udaipur, India, where she served as coordinator of the Swapathgami (Walkouts-Walkons) Network. She has facilitated dozens of transformative leadership gatherings with hundreds of young leaders from over 50 countries. She is passionate about dance and music, organic and natural farming, upcycling and zero waste living, asking appreciative questions and being in community. A focus on healing, forgiveness, compassion, love and wholeness permeates all of her work and life.
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