SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 12: To reinforce its commitment to encourage an academic culture of peace and intercultural dialogue, the University of Kashmir (KU), organised a daylong national seminar here.
Titled, ‘Educating for Peace: Connecting Classrooms Across Cultures’, the event, honoured the spirit of Education Day and Maulana Azad’s legacy. Students, faculty and guests from academia and administration attended the seminar.
On the occasion, KU’s Dean, Research, Prof Mohammad Sultan Bhat reflected on Maulana Azad’s multifaceted contributions to the nation. “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s vision for an inclusive and enlightened society is a timeless reminder of the power of education to create harmony,” he said, appreciating Azad’s lifelong dedication to educational reform and social upliftment.
In his keynote, former Head and Dean, School of Education and Behavioural Sciences, KU, Prof Mahmood Ahmad Khan underscored the legacy of Maulana Azad as a peace-loving philosopher and emphasised the role of educators as peace ambassadors. “Teachers are not just educators but promoters of peace, building bridges across cultural and ideological divides,” he said.
In her welcome address, Prof Tasleema Jan, Head, Department of Education and Dean, School of Education and Behavioural Sciences, KU, highlighted the significance of ‘Education Day’, the contributions of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and the role of education in encouraging peace. “Education is the cornerstone of peace and progress,” she said, adding that by connecting classrooms across cultures, “we can instill values of understanding and empathy, as emphasised in constructivist thought.”
Associate Professor, Department of Education, KU, Dr Mohammad Amin Dar, proposed the formal vote of thanks, while Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Education, KU, Dr Manzoor Ahmad, conducted the proceedings of the inaugural session.
Following the inaugural session, the seminar featured a research session chaired by senior faculty of the department, Dr Mohammad Amin Dar and Dr Aasia Maqbool, where scholars and faculty members from diverse disciplines presented research papers related to the seminar’s theme.
Each presentation was followed by an open discussion, with concluding remarks provided by Dr Mohammad Amin Dar.