Peacetech exchange II
10 to 12 June, Habib University
by Amna Zafar
After
identifying core problematic issues related to their projects, participants were asked to
synthesize the challenges into a statement and find a solution to
them. Pitches were made by ten teams on the last day by incorporating
selected technologies like a mobile app or a web based app, into
their projects to make them able to promote peace. The ideas were
generated after being exposed to a diverse range of technologies
through the experts present at the event itself.
The Karachi
Biennale Team launched its initiative of peace building by bringing
art into public space through involvement from the artist community.
The idea involved the use of 100 original Pakistan Cables reels from
the urban environment worked on by artists and involved with
communities all over Karachi. A large scale city wide project titled
Reel on Hai is to be created. An open call has gone out on this
website www.karachibiennale.org.pk
A web platform that maps the reels, narrates community stories,
archives data and encourages civic engagement in one space was
needed to create a birds eye view of the project. The
webplatform would use open source content management systems like
story maps, google maps, storifi etc. in a fun manner to make the
project far reaching.
The
Karachi Biennale Team comprising of Atteqa Malik, Ruqayya Rizwan,
Nasheed Imran and Bina Ali won one of the three prizes that supported
peace building in Karachi. The prizes were awarded after a rigorous
pitching session from all teams in front of a panel of 5 judges.
The
other two winners were Peache Niche, who pitched the creation of an
app that connects many players of civic related activities to each
other remotely and MentHub that was aiming to create an online space
connecting youths to mentors within the city.
Speakers at this event included
activist Jibran M Nasir, musician Ali Gul Pir and comedian Faiza
Saleem. Technologist Jehan Ara from PASHA gave the closing remarks.
There seemed to be a consensus amongst
most speakers that there are very restricted spaces in the city where
people can really speak their minds. Such spaces are now becoming
available online. The pros and cons of having such spaces available
were shared with participants of the workshop thus giving them a very
holistic experience to go home with after the three days of peace
tech exchange PTXKarachi.
Amna is a multimedia journalist. She takes her coffee very seriously. And loves reading, technology and the outdoors