Maryam, a Pakistani student at Boston University, talks to us about a youth event in Lahore earlier this year and her experiences in helping organize the event. This audio interview is part of an evolving effort of Radio South Asia.

Maryam tells us about the goals and intentions of the event that was planned to co-incide with the second convention of visa free and peaceful southasia where Pakistani youth wanted to participate in the peace process with Pakistani and Indian delegates.

Maryam describes the response of the youth in Lahore, talking about the limited publicity and the reasons that youth got involved from different parts of the city in this effort.

In a recent issue of Time Magazine, the publication presented a story on growing fundamentalism in Punjab University and suggested that this may reflect a growing trend. In this context, Maryam talks about the problems with such articles that generalize, her experiences vis-a-vis this article, the role of religious organizations and how youth feel about relationship with India.

Maryam describes the programs that were part of the event including the highlight of it - a play named Kahin Der Na Ho Jaye - inspired by sisters who were separated, and by the film Mammo, and pointing to the problems with the Visa laws in both countries. The play was later performed when the Indian delegate finally visited Pakistan. She also talks about the resolution for peace that the youth of Lahore drafted and passed at the end of the event.

The conversation turns to follow up processes and Maryam tells us various programs being organized to increase people to people interactions while also mentioning that more needs to be done to keep those who participated in any event continuously engaged on the issue.

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