Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A two-day seminar titled World of Tomorrow concluded here on Sunday with the participation of over 100 key speakers from over a dozen countries. It left a rich abstraction of knowledge for the large number of masses that participated on the occasion.

The Beaconhouse group of schools, was the major organiser of the event with an aim to deliver a heavy amount of information from each perspective particularly the major challenges being faced in countries. 140 speakers from 13 countries of the world contributed their speeches in the 42 sessions. Each session had a separate topic for discussion. Four different halls of the Pak China Friendship Centre remained crowded throughout the sessions. The halls were specially reserved and equipped with modern technological requirements for the purpose.

In a debate titled “Smart Technology is Making Us Unsmart,” the panellists highlighted each aspect of the topic in a very unique manner. The organisers divided the panellists into two groups. One group opposed the subject with its arguments while the other was defending the idea with its own approach.

During the session, questions from the audience were also made part of the brief. The panellists Fasi Zaki and Deepak Perwani favoured the idea. They said that due to modern and smart technology people felt themselves alone, adding that they remained busy for hours in use of smart technology even while sitting among a crowd of people which could be their family members, friends or colleagues. The preposition panellist said that due to smart technology the young generation particularly children were losing social and cultural values. The group also pointed out the non-authenticity of information received viva smart technology. They quoted the examples of Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia, Facebook, twitter and other such tools.

On the other hand, the opposition rejected the arguments given. In this panel Nasir Kasuri and Jehan Ara contended that smart technology itself was a very positive thing, adding that there were persons who used it on their own. “If someone is not teaching their children the social and cultural values, then how can we blame smart technology for this”, questioned Kasuri. He said that it was the duty of the parents to teach their siblings regarding the exact use and purpose of the technology. The session concluded with the show of hand feedback from the audience. However, many of the listeners endorsed the panel who was opposing the title “Smart Technology is Making Us Unsmart.”

In another session of the panel discussion titled STEM Teaching it Well, the role of teachers in nation grooming was highlighted specially in Pakistan’s perspective. The panellists included Touseef Kerai, Salman Hameed, Jamal Shah Shabyal Bin Mansoor.

They also discussed early education, social norms, the stereotype approach in our society and its solutions, the actual spirit of the society, cultural diversity and many other suggestions regarding the topic. The previous day the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz inaugurated the event. The programme was mainly sponsored by United Bank Limited, Aquafina Water, Bank Alfalah, Olpers Milk, Rose Petal, Stylo, Big Bird, Knorr Noodles, Walls, Oye Hoye, and Allied Bank Limited. Beside the said topics, many other talks came under discussion ranging from gender issues to media, heritage, poetry, education reform, cyber-crime and cyber-security, sports and the impact of CPEC.

The event might be very significant for minds that are busy. The organisers while keeping in view the need of the audience arranged a musical concert on the concluding day of the mega event. Renowned singer Shafaat Ali performed in the concert and grabbed the attention of hundreds of people. The evening air echoed with the applause of the people throughout the performance of Shafaat Ali.