Islamabad: Islamabad hosted a unique Peace Education Conference 2025 on September 21, 2025, featuring a diverse range of activities promoting unity and hope. The gathering, a collaborative undertaking by AIOU, Peace Club, Theater Wallay, Daastan Publishers, Quality Education Services, and TRISS School System, commenced with three concurrent morning sessions at separate venues.
The day began at 7:30 a.m. with a “Hike for Peace” on Trail 3. Participants enjoyed calming melodies, stimulating discussions, and poetry readings as they walked. Simultaneously, at 8:00 a.m., the “Walk and Talk” program in F-9 Park provided attendees an opportunity for informal interaction with peace experts and presenters.
At 9:00 a.m., activities moved to AIOU, where meditation and a healing circle fostered inner peace and collective well-being. Participants practiced mindfulness and engaged in supportive sharing. This was followed by an interactive “Theater of the Oppressed” session, addressing critical social concerns within AIOU’s serene green surroundings.
At noon, children’s artwork, depicting their perspectives on peace, was showcased at AIOU, bringing a poignant human element to the discussions. Online involvement ensured broader participation throughout the event. Renowned scholars and intellectuals, including Dr. Shahid Siddiqui, A. H. Nayyar, Khadim Hussain, Yasir Pirzada, Safeer Ullah Khan, Dr. Khalid Mahmood, Raana Zafar, Gulshan Rafique, Dr. Sidra Rizwan, and Dr. Rukhsana Durrani, contributed through panels and presentations.
The conference culminated with the unveiling of “Taaleem-e-Amn ba Tareeq-e-Amn,” a publication on peace education by Dr. Afshan Huma, published by Daastan Publications. Dr. Huma, who conducted postdoctoral research in Peace Education at San Jose State University and now leads the Department of Educational Planning, Policy Studies, and Leadership at AIOU, spearheaded this unique project.