Source: Pakistan Link

http://www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Feb07/19/13.htm

LAHORE: The Interfaith Harmony Camp for Muslim and Christian schoolchildren ended on Sunday. The students pledged to work together to achieve peace in the world through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.

Forty students of ninth and tenth grades from city schools took part in the camp held at Saint Anthony’s on Lawrence Road. The camp was organised by an NGO, Seeds of Peace.

The camp lasted two and a half days and provided the participants with an opportunity to learn about one another’s religion. Its purpose was to create a sense of respect and understanding among them to promote tolerance and peace in the world. The students educated each other and discussed similarities between their respective religions.

The participants of the camp told Daily Times they believed that such events should be organised on a regular basis. They said it had provided an opportunity for the students to learn from one another.

Maloney, a Convent of Jesus and Mary student, said the camp had helped her learn about the two religions and their festivals. She said it also removed a lot of her misconceptions about the religions. Mehwish Shafi, student of Sacred Heart Convent, said the camp had helped students develop respect for others and encouraged them to discuss religion. Rafia from the Crescent Model School (girls campus) said the students had learnt many things about Islam and Christianity. They had learnt the art of living together in peace and harmony, she added. Tooba from Divisional Public School said mutual harmony and understanding would help achieve harmony in the world.