Boy Scout

2009 to 2012

I had the opportunity to participate in the Special Integration Camps, which were organized under the Messengers of Peace initiative to promote harmony and friendship between the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides of India and Pakistan. These camps were especially meaningful because of the history of conflicts and tensions between the two countries (you can read more about it on this Wikipedia page). The first camp was held in Gadpuri, Haryana, India from November 16th to 20th, 2011, where I got to meet and interact with many Indian scouts and guides. The second camp was held in Pakistan in 2012, where I welcomed the Indian scouts and guides to my country. You can read the stories about the first camp here and the second camp here. I learned a lot from these camps.

I crossed the Wahga-Attari border on foot. Left: At the Wahga-Attari border, before entering India. Right: A friendly encounter with the Indian Border Security Forces after entering India from Wahga-Attari border. We could understand each other perfectly but they kept insisting that I was speaking Hindi and I kept insisting that they were speaking Urdu.
Left: A group photograph of the Pakistani contingent in the first Special Integration Camp. Right: With Bharat Scouts at Gadpuri Haryana.
A story in an Indian newspaper that covered our visit to a school in Gadpuri Haryana.