The Story Share Initiative

Elliot Ackerman and Lea Carpenter
2nd May 2019
The Lahore and Chicago portals connected Elliot Ackerman and Lea Carpenter with young journalists and authors in Lahore.

The conversation included a realistic viewpoint on the state of the press and journalism in Lahore and press freedom in Pakistan - how aspiring and even senior journalists are facing more and more hurdles into telling stories that they want to tell. Ackerman was quick to state, "This is the best worst time to be a journalist in the world right now." He explained that while media and journalists are under attack across the world, financial issues have now culled the ideal of the "foreign bureau head" that was once so popular with large media houses. Now there are hardly any foreign reporters stationed permanently in far-off countries. More and more newspapers are relying on native journalists to tell local stories for an international audience and this is providing a chance to younger, social media and tech savvy journalists to shine.

Laura Sage
26th June 2019
The Karachi portal connected with Laura Sage in Chicago.

Laura and the participants had a primary value in common: they were all searching for something more than the traditional forms of success and peace, and found their calling by embracing the opportunities life threw their way. Laura led a meditation session with the participants, reminding the participants that ‘mindfulness means to be in the present in a particular way.’ Laura and the participants ended the session feeling present and connected, a result of both the meditation and the stimulating conversation.

Afghanistan National Institute of Music
27th June 2019
NAPA connects with the Afghanistan National Institute of Music

Expert musicians from the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi were connected with students from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. Both sides performed instrumental pieces. The teachers from NAPA, Mr Intizaar Hussain and Mr Waqas Gulzar performed Raag Abhogi Kanhra on a harmonium and tabla, while students from the music institute performed ensembles of ethnic Afghan, as well as western fusion music. There was a vibrant display of instruments such as the Rubab, the Dilruba, Cellos, Violins and Keyboards- all complex instruments mastered by very young boys and girls.