On November 18, American University’s School of International Service virtually hosted the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi. President Alvi followed in the footsteps of Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Obama, all of whom have lectured at American. This historic event was organised by Dean Christine B.N. Chin and her team, with special thanks to Kate Arion. Dean Chin called upon Ambassador Akbar A Ahmed to moderate, who has been called, “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam” by the BBC. Ambassador Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at the School of International Service, formerly served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, and a prolific author, professor, poet, and filmmaker. His upcoming book, The Mingling of the Oceans, will be published in 2022 and explores the interconnectedness of global faith communities. In their conversation, Ambassador Ahmed and President Alvi explored the dangers of fake news and climate change, and the collective yearning for compassion and forgiveness.
The Ambassador introduced President Alvi, co-founder of the currently ruling political party of Pakistan, an accomplished dentist, and the former President of Pakistan’s Dental Association. In both his political and professional life, Ambassador Ahmed commented that President Alvi has “reached the summit of excellence.” While “Pakistan too often has a negative image in the media,” each of these men has worked to share the beauty of their country and religion, so as not to let others write their narratives and misunderstand their shared culture. President Alvi traced Pakistan’s long history of ingenuity, noting the Harappa and Mohenjo Daro civilizations that developed in Pakistani lands thousands of years ago, and the religious diversity that continues to exist today in Pakistan.
According to President Alvi, one of the most consequential challenges we face today, is fake news. He cautioned that humanity is under threat of global warming, the decimation of endangered species, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Misinformation makes these issues even more intractable. “The new generation must be able to differentiate between reality and fake news,” he said. Young scholars like myself must sift through the deceit and hate that permeates social media. President Alvi believes that the success of a nation can be measured by its response to hatred. “The condemnation of hatred is not enough,” the President remarked, Pakistan, while pointing to the country’s Ministry of Interfaith Harmony, created to promote religious tolerance. Ambassador Ahmed added, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Forgiveness is central to global cooperation, as is compassionate and honest communication.
Many have forgotten Pakistan’s beauty: some of the highest peaks on the planet, rivers and lakes, snow and desert, and the relics of early Buddhism. Sufism, a mystical form of Islam that encourages peace and tolerance, has roots in Pakistan. President Alvi praises the richness of rural Pakistan, home to Sufi masters. The Sufi tradition emphasizes “love, music, understanding” and “heart-to-heart linkage with the world.” Long overlooked, Sufi thought is finally returning to mainstream education in Pakistan. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the works of Sufi poet Rumi remain best sellers over 700 years after his death.
When asked to share his message for the United States, President Alvi answered simply: forgiveness and communication. In families, forgiveness is common, celebrated, and leads to stronger bonds and greater understanding in relationships. Hand in hand with forgiveness is communication. Social media platforms enable communication out of context, explained President Alvi, underscoring the ways fake news generates Islamophobia and antisemitism. “Peace is there for the grabbing,” he said, but a nation must reach out to minority groups to ensure they are protected. Forgiveness, rather than collective forgetfulness, can propel the country forward.
As a young scholar, I share President Alvi’s belief that our generation is inheriting staggering responsibilities that we cannot tackle alone. Forgiveness is central to global cooperation, as is compassionate and honest communication. I was deeply moved by President Alvi’s passion for his beloved country, and how he celebrates religious diversity. Both President Alvi and Ambassador Ahmed stress that we must fight for and alongside those with identities beyond our own. As a privileged, white American, I must ensure that minority groups aren’t defined by others, but rather that they have spaces to share their experiences. I am grateful to have attended this event in my final year at American University; the work they do to build bridges across faiths and nations is exactly the kind of work I aspire to do after graduation.
Particularly in this era of globalization, social media, and the democratization of knowledge, we must be wary of intolerant agendas. Given recent defeats in Afghanistan and the civil unrest that many in the Middle East still face, we must allow ourselves to be taken in by the beauty and diversity of those we may not yet understand, rather than exclusively listening to those who echo our own beliefs. As Ambassador Ahmed encourages his students, we must commit to continued scholarship and curiosity, and let our love of knowledge overcome the pride that keeps us from growth. President Alvi’swords are deeply inspiring: “We must endeavor to bring people together,” and to “rewrite the history that misguides us.”
The writer is in her final year at American University’s School of International Service.