Training in civil journalism, social activism
Islamabad: The first-ever Youth TechCamp in Pakistan concluded Saturday after three days of hands-on, interactive training in civic journalism and social activism.
A signature series hosted by the U.S. Department of State to increase digital literacy, Youth TechCamp Pakistan provided 40 young Pakistanis with three days of training with top Pakistani technology experts who are experts in civic journalism and social activism. The young participants are alumni of the U.S.-sponsored Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, through which Pakistani high school students spend one academic year living and studying in the United States.
“I am really excited about Youth TechCamp because I believe I can help my community and my country as a whole through social media and citizen journalism,” said a young boy named Ali from Quetta, beaming with excitement at the event on Thursday. Iqra from Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa agreed: “As I belong to a small city where the resources to learn about technology are rare, this TechCamp is helping me to learn what I had always wanted to, but never had the chance before.”
Ambassador Richard Hoagland, Charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, visited the Youth TechCamp Pakistan to meet the students and hear about their expectations for the Camp. “Youth TechCamp Pakistan encourages young people – yourselves – to leverage connection technologies to make a positive impact in your communities and around the world,” said Ambassador Hoagland. “These sessions will give you the tools you need to be citizen journalists and give a voice to your generation — be brave and use these skills,” he said.
Youth TechCamp is sponsored in collaboration with iEARN, and is a signature part of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s 21st Century Statecraft policy which seeks, among other things, to build the technical capacity of civil society worldwide. Youth TechCamp Pakistan is the third such TechCamp ever held in the world, after similar events in Washington, DC and Bangladesh.
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