CJM participates in 'Seeds for Farmers' initiative by IKF

On Sunday, 24 October 2010, CJM was invited by the Imran Khan Foundation (IKF) to attend the seminar held at Gaddafi Stadium about the IKF Flood Relief effort. Sr. Pilar, Sr. Mercedes, and other sisters were also present as well as a number of Senior Section teachers, the entire student council and a few girls from grade 10. Students from different schools were invited up on stage, to come and sing patriotic songs or share their views about the current situation of the flood relief victims. Our Faith captain, Anoop Hafeez, was the first to go up on stage and she sang beautifully. The Headgirl, Meera Mahmood, recited a poem she had written, expressing the feeling and emotion of the Pakistani youth about the current state of their beloved country. Later the whole collection of students and teachers was addressed by Imran Khan. He delivered an emotionally charged speech on the suffering of the flood affectees and what the disastrous floods can mean for the future of Pakistan. The youth, he said, are the ones whose duty it is now to act as a nation and help their fellow countrymen rebuild their homes and their lives. A short video of the flooded areas was shown. Watching the people of their country in such plight left many of the viewers with moist eyes. Introducing the aims of the IKF’s new campaign to send seeds to the farmers in flood affected areas, Imran Khan also announced that students will get a chance to take an active part in this effort. The students will raise funds for the campaign by selling tickets to a Twenty20 cricket match that will take place in approximately six weeks at the Gaddafi Stadium. He also enlightened us with the good news that after twenty years he will once again jump into the field and take part in the match. After the speech our students were interviewed by Geo News. The CJM delegation was specially addressed by Imran Khan’s sister, a former past pupil of the Convent. She shared with us her experience that after leaving school she always stood out amongst others anywhere she went. She attributed this quality to all the values and character building she had learnt in her years at school. “Being a Conventarian”, she told us, “is something you will be proud of all your life and nowhere can you learn the beauty of character that you will be taught in this institution.”
Report by CJM Prefects Mischa Sheikh and Rabbiya Abdullah

“Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow” Seeds of Peace

Since 2001 CJM has been sending its pupils as members of the Pakistani delegation in the Seeds of Peace International Summer Camp held in Maine, USA. Sr. Pilar was the leader of the very first delegation that went from Pakistan. This year our school has continued the tradition by sending Noor Malik of class 11 as part of the Seeds from Pakistan. She attended the three week camp from 21 June to 17 July 2010. They went to Maine where the SOP camp was held and also spent a week in Washington D.C. where they visited landmarks such as the Whitehouse, Capitol Hill as well as the Air and Space Museum. When asked about the experience this is what she had to say: ‘I am thankful to the school for giving me the opportunity to go through this life changing experience. At camp we were able to interact with other Seeds our age from different parts of the world. The South Asian (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan) and American delegates took part in dialogue together and we were able to discuss the conflicted issues between our countries. Although we had different points of view which led us to have heated discussions in the end we were able to establish common ground between us. The daily activities that we had such as swimming, canoeing, water skiing, rock climbing, basketball and talent shows helped us know each other beyond the dialogue hut. The group challenges were designed in a way to make delegates who normally disagreed with each other in dialogue sessions work as a team and eventually develop trust amongst themselves. We especially focused on how we, the youth, can contribute towards making a change in the today’s In the end I would like to say that I hope we were able to present a positive image of our country. I wish the best of luck to Conventarians who get this opportunity to go as representatives of the Pakistani youth and hope that they will make their school and country proud.’

The main objective of Seeds of Peace is to bring together youth from those parts of the world that are not on friendly terms. The countries that participate include USA, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine, Afghanistan and India. At camp these delegates are given the unique opportunity to sit together and discuss the various issues of conflict between their countries so that they can together look for a practical solution to deal with their problems. The aim of all this is not only to remove the stereotypical views instilled into the youth by society but to also aid delegates in their leadership skills so that they can help brighten the future of their country. The SOP motto is “empowering the leaders of tomorrow”. At camp through the drama and music competitions the Seeds learn about the different cultures of the other delegates and at the same time learn how they are not so very different after all.

Report by Prefects, Mischa Sheikh and Rabbiya Abdullah.