Islamabad, 20 December 2021 (TDI): The German Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) with the collaboration of the National Dialogue Forum of Pakistan launched during an Inauguration Dinner; their new flagship project of scholarship to Afghan refugees.
HSSP FLAGSHIP PROJECT
The name of that project is Hanns Seidel Scholarship Program (HSSP): Support for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan. The objective of the project is to provide extensive support to registered Afghan refugees studying at Pakistani universities.
The students that receive these scholarships will also have the opportunity to equip themselves with professional skills through on-the-job training. The Resident Representative of HSF Pakistan, Steffen Kudella, remarked that education is the most viable form of international cooperation.
ADDRESS OF KUDELLA
Kudella also mentioned that education is vital for political stabilization. Furthermore, He addressed the assistants of the dinner on the importance of forming the young Afghans. In his opening remark, Kudella stated that Afghanistan needs young people who are talented, well-educated, professionally experienced.
According to Kudella, that is for them to contribute to the inclusive rebuilding of their home country; and that is the objective of the Hanns Seidel Scholarship Program, to support education training of such agents of positive change in Pakistan.
STATEMENTS OF NDF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director of NDF, Sheharyar Khan, also addressed the participants of the Dinner. During the speech, Khan highlighted that the scholarships present an opportunity for Afghan students to excel; and play the necessary role to rebuild their country.
The Dinner received guests from embassies, academia, think tanks, and international and national NGOs. Among those guests added to those mentioned previously, there were Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Pakistan, Bernhard Schlagheck; and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan.
To the meeting assisted one of the Members of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Shandana Gulzar Khan, who is also a Member of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Friendship Group of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Gulzar appreciated the initiative in her remarks at the inauguration. The Pakistani Ambassador stressed the importance of multilateral initiatives, to maintain regional peace and stability.
He also mentioned how happy he was to assist to the HSSP Ceremony, and appreciated the NDF for their part in the organization of the Program. The Ambassador also mentioned the necessity to focus on making the right investments in Afghanistan.
According to Khan, by making the right investments the Afghan people will have an incentive to stay in the country. The Foundation offered 30 full financial grants positions per year.
Later Kudella thanked Tammi Sharpe the representative of the UN Refugee Agency in Pakistan and the Office for the support of the project.
https://twitter.com/Steffen_Kudella/status/1471334959189221378The Scholarships will go for all Afghan students with above-average academic records, volunteer experience, and democratic and regional interests. The German Ambassador delivered the scholarships and presented their HSSP laptops to the first 23 selected HSSP scholarship holders.
ABOUT HSSP PROJECT
According to Kudella, the Hanns Seidel Scholarship Program (HSSP): Support for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan; aims to strengthen the regional stability in Pakistan-Afghanistan through education.
The plan to reach that goal is to provide funding for Afghan students registered as refugees in Pakistan, so they can receive additional training in relevant disciplines; and that later they can apply that newly-acquired knowledge regionally.
