Shaheen said girls and members of minority communities would also be included in the project. Danish Mustafa, a youth representative from Multan, said that the project was a unique initiative to promote peace at the grassroots level.

LAHORE: Minister for Special Education and Youth Affairs Asif Saeed Manais on Tuesday inaugurated the Punjab Youth Peace Corps programme.

In the pilot phase, the project has been launched with 600 young men and women chosen from 30 union councils (UCs) of Lahore and Multan districts. It will later be replicated in other parts of the province.

Youth Affairs Secretary Humayun Mazhar Shaikh said that the Punjab Youth Peace Corps would be an important milestone towards promoting a peaceful society. “The youth are the future of the country. It is important that they are engaged to increase tolerance and acceptance of diversity in communities,” he said.

He said that the project would provide training to 600 young people who would work as peace champions in their communities. “This will involve conducting impactful social actions and influencing their peers to promote peaceful cooperation,” he said. Bargad Organisation for Youth Development executive director Sabiha Shaheen, Youth Affairs Department Deputy Secretary Tehmina Habib were also present. Bargad is the implementation partner of the programme. Shaheen said girls and members of minority communities would also be included in the project. Danish Mustafa, a youth representative from Multan, said that the project was a unique initiative to promote peace at the grassroots level.