MUZAFFARABAD: The US Embassy Islamabad and the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (UAJK) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewing their partnership overseeing the Lincoln Corner in Muzaffarabad for another year.
US Embassy Public Affairs Counsellor Michelle Los Banos and UAJK Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Kalim Abbasi signed the MOU.
First established in 2007, the Lincoln Corner is a partnership project between the US Embassy Islamabad and UAJK. Alongside the MOU signing, the Lincoln Corner celebrated its 11th anniversary.
Representatives from the US Embassy, the VC, university deans, department heads, faculty, students and members of the Pakistan-US Alumni Network in Muzaffarabad participated in the celebration.
The US Embassy Islamabad runs a network of 18 Lincoln Corners across Pakistan. A Lincoln Corner is a resource centre and event space hosted in partnership with Pakistani institutions – in public libraries, universities and cultural centres.
In her remarks, Michelle Los Banos said Lincoln Corners, “allow us to maintain an open dialogue with Pakistani audiences through programs that build prosperity, foster mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties”.
The Lincoln Corner was remodelled in October 2016 to create a contemporary and comfortable space with added resources for the benefit of visitors. The corner provides free access to books, magazines, videos, a tech bar and an eLibrary USA. Visitors can access a large collection of databases, scholarly journals, e-books, newspaper articles, and multimedia content through eLibrary USA.
In collaboration with the US Embassy, the Corner organises monthly programmes for UAJK students and the local community in Muzaffarabad, focusing on English language learning, American education resources, science and technology, entrepreneurship, makerspaces, and information about the United States.
The Corner has also hosted programmes to raise awareness about gender-based violence and discrimination, to build networks and promote knowledge-sharing among budding entrepreneurs and encourage innovation and creativity through makerspaces and Spark! Laboratory activities.
Published in Daily Times, April 21st 2018.