The National Dialogue Forum (NDF) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Pakistan released a mini-documentary series titled “The Refugee Stories: Lives of the Afghan Refugees in Pakistan” to portray the struggles and sufferings of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.
The docuseries produced depicted the challenges of Afghan refugees’ lives in Pakistan, their accomplishments, and how they overcame obstacles to “excel” in spite of all odds, according to a tweet from the HSF Pakistan on Saturday, December 10.
Dr. Steffen Kudella, the Resident Representative of HSF Pakistan, addressed the audience during the screening ceremony and stated that “We want to strengthen the regional stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan through mutual understanding and cooperation.”
“We believe that Afghans in Pakistan are agents of positive change in Pakistan and Afghanistan: they can contribute substantially to democracy, peace, and development,” Kudella told the audience.
The documentary series, according to HSF Pakistan’s tweet, aims to reduce the disparity and bridge the gap between the host and refugee communities by showing how Afghan refugees thrive through diligence and tenacity and positively impact both Pakistani society and the Afghan diaspora.
The documentary series about Afghan refugees in Pakistan aims to break down the “taboo and stigma” surrounding the term “refugee” while encouraging social cohesiveness and highlighting the contributions refugees make to society.
A panel discussion with Mansoor Khan, the former Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan, and Tammi Sharpe, UNHCR Pakistan’s Deputy Head followed the screening ceremony.
The ceremony for the launch and screening of the series was reportedly attended by a large number of diplomats, academics, civil society activists, journalists, Afghan refugees, and representatives of various international organizations.
