Discovering Diversity.Pdf
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Diversity is an all-encompassing concept. It is not just limited to recognizing dierences between people, but also celebrating them as an asset and a strength. It includes acceptance and respect of others; recognizing their uniqueness and dierences. Diversity can include dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious belief etc. In order to celebrate diversity we need to be positive and nurturing to embrace and celebrate the dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. There is a general lack of understanding and ambiguity in Pakistan with regards to the subject of Pakistan’s diversity, its religions, culture, ethnic history and gender. Nevertheless, diversity is one of Pakistan’s key resources. Diversity is We believe that the study of diversity can inspire our youth to become better citizens who respect cultural one of and religious dierences. Despite being unique Pakistan’s individuals belonging to dierent communities, at the end of the day we are all connected through our shared key value systems. The study of diversity explores dierences and commonalities, and provides tools to resources equip us to play a positive role in transforming negative attitudes, perceptions and behaviors. We aim to do this through our Building Bridges course at FCC. The course is based on the concepts of ‘ilm’ (knowledge), ‘adab’ (propriety) and ‘insaniyat’ (humanity). The course is designed for students of bachelors/baccalaureate level. It is inter-disciplinary with humanities and social sciences. It has a syllabus, teachers’ guide and recommended readings. It is intended to foster dialogue rather than debate and to take students through a collaborative learning process. The Center for Dialogue and Action, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) (CD&A-FCC) aims to infuse Pakistan’s education curricula with an overt appreciation of diversity and to promote pluralistic vision of society through peace studies. CD&A-FCC plays a role in education and are developing peace-building courses (short and extended) and textbooks. These are produced for dierent educational levels (primary, secondary and higher) and address the subjects of diversity, dialogue, pluralism and peace-building. Centre for Dialogue and Action Dialogue requires each party to engage with the other, letting the other express their BUILDING beliefs and convictions on their own terms and understanding them as they wish to be BLOCKS FOR understood. By engaging in dialogue with others, one learns and attains understanding. DIALOGUE For dialogue to be successful one should: Avoid oensive action or language Respect the rights of others to disagree with us Ensure that dialogue does not lead to a quarrel Listen to others with sensitivity, honesty and straightforwardness Respect other people’s freedom to express their beliefs and learning Thus to communicate what we believe and value, we need to understand what others believe and value. We need to do this on others terms. While talking it is easy to disagree, however, instead of spotting dierences it is healthier to focus on what people have in honesty common i.e. piety, human values like mercy, honesty, good manners. good manners EXPLORING DIALOGUE AND DEBATE Dialogue Debate is collaborative: multiple sides work is oppositional: two opposing sides toward shared understanding try to prove each other wrong. one listens to understand, to make one listens to nd informational errors, to meaning, and to nd common ground spot dierences, and to counter arguments creates an open-minded attitude: creates a close-minded attitude, a an openness to being wrong and determination to be right an openness to change searches for strengths in dierent searches for weaknesses in the other’s positions position assumes that many people have pieces assumes a single right answer that of answers and that cooperation can somebody already has lead to understanding and help create solutions remains open-ended. There is no right demands a conclusion, whether /wrong conclusion ethically/morally right/wrong 2 Empathy is from the Greek empathia meaning ‘in-feeling’. Although the word was not coined in the English language until 1904, it does not mean that the concept was not available in earlier times. Aristotle called human beings ‘moral creatures’ to explain empathy and William Shakespeare dened this concept as ‘fellowship’. Empathy is a form of emotion sharing i.e. feeling ‘with’ a fellow human being rather than feeling ‘for’ her/him. It is distinct from sympathy which is an instinctive response to someone’s misfortune. Most people from the arts, sciences and literature recognize empathy’s potential to help understand human experience from another person’s point of view. They agree that the skill of empathy is vital to make sense of human behavior and to relate to others eectively. ‘Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It means to understand others’ feelings, emotions and actions through love, sympathy and compassion. Sympathy is me-oriented; Empathy is you-oriented. (David Howe) Social scientists have termed the present times as ‘The Age of Empathy’ with ‘The Age of Reason’ behind us. (Jeremy Rifkin) ‘Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.’ (Daniel Goleman) ‘Empathy is not just knowing what a person is feeling but also communicating with compassion, the recognition and understanding of the other’s emotional experience; based on history, personality and belief system.’ (Mark Davis) IMPORTANT QUESTIONS Are you willing to accept diversity in society and respecting other ways of living? Are you non-judgmental? Do you have an open mind? Do you have empathy and understanding? Do you show exibility and adaptability while dealing with others? Are you sensitive to others and responsive to act on this awareness? Do you support a sense of belonging for all? 3 WORDS OF WISDOM For each [Prophetic Community] We have appointed a Law and a Way. Had God Willed, He could have made you one community. But in order to test you with what He has given you [He has made you as you are]. So compete with one another in good works. And Unto God you will all return. He will reveal to you [the truth] of that about which you diered (Holy Qur’an, 5:48) After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. Revelation 7:9 A perfect Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands humankind is safe. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart. St. Francis of Assisi You are not a drop in the ocean; You are the entire ocean in a drop. Rumi An individual has not started living until [she] he can rise above the narrow connes of [her] his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. Martin Luther King, Jr. If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner. Nelson Mandela 4 ROLE Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817-1898) MODELS His real contribution is in the eld of education for Muslims. He was a reformer who wanted to reconcile modern scientic thought with religion by rationalistic interpretations.. He emphasized that religious dierences should have no political and national signicance. He contributed to transforming the traditional Muslim, into a progressive one. He believed that the past had its merits and its legacies were valuable but the future is more important. Do not show the face of Islam to others; instead show your face as the follower of true Islam representing character, knowledge, tolerance and piety Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1876-1938) He is a philosopher, a poet and a political personality. His literary work primarily focusses on the spiritual direction and development of human society. In the west he is admired for: his condemnation of weak will and passiveness, inequality, discrimination and oppression in all forms i.e., economic, social, political, national, racial, religious, etc.; his preaching of optimism, an active attitude towards life and human beings high purpose in the world; his assertion of the noble ideals and principles of humanism, democracy, peace and friendship among peoples. His works guide Muslims and non-Muslims alike into the twenty rst century in the spirit of the Asian Renaissance. The ultimate aim of the ego is not to see something, but to be something Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) Pakistan’s Founding Father redened the future of the Muslims of South Asia, by giving them a land, where they are free to practice their way of life. He championed the cause of minorities, especially the cause of Dalits, even before he joined politics. Quaid-e-Azam was against using religion as a tool and believed in negotiations and constitutional means. He believed that a nation could not make any progress without the co-operation of women. As Governor General of Pakistan he spent his rst Christmas with the Christians in Karachi and declared himself Protector General of the Hindu community in Pakistan. You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State 5 Mohtarma Fatimah Jinnah (1893-1967) The sister of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Ms.