Farhat Asif is Award-Winning Public Diplomat by experience, Human Rights and Peace activist by Choice, Researcher, and writer by Profession with having more than 15 years of work experience in establishing and leading institutions focusing on developing synergies for peace, development, and dialogue. With well-knitted diplomatic engagements in Pakistan and across the globe, Farhat has pioneered the Public Diplomacy initiatives in Pakistan through the promotion of culture, education, and business connections amongst the communities from across the globe. As she lived her entire life in the conflict region of Kashmir, this has affected her work and influenced her to establish the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies(IPDS) which is an Advocacy, Research, and Public Diplomacy institution pioneering the civilian-led Peace and dialogue related higher education institution. IPDS aims to provide strength to Pakistan’s effective role in Peace and Intellect Silk Road through innovative and cutting-edge research, effective advocacy, dialogues series, education modules, consultancy services, well built & knitted public diplomacy initiatives and engagements in the thematic areas of Diplomatic Studies, Peace, Conflict Resolution, Sustainable Development, Public Diplomacy, and Women Peace and Leadership and Diplomatic Studies The foundation stone was laid down by Prof. Johan Galtung-Father of Peace Studies in the world. Farhat is projecting Pakistan’s peaceful image through IPDS’s premier opinion-based publication The Diplomatic Insight (TDI)-publishing since 2008 with the thematic objective of Peace Through Informed Dialogue. At the IPDS, Farhat has established the “Pakistan-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Friendship Forum”, “Centre for Belt and Road Initiative and China Studies”, “Centre for Central Asia and Eurasian Studies” and “Centre for Women Peace and Leadership”. As a result of her leadership and vision at IPDS, the institution has signed several important agreements of cooperation at the state level with regional research organizations and Universities. IPDS has partners to United Nations Pakistan as well for the promotion of Sustainable Development goals in the country. Other partner includes NUML, Bahria University, Bahudeen Zakariya University, Multan, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lahore, Vehari Chamber of Commerce and Industry apart from others. Recently, IPDS led by Farhat has signed agreement of cooperation with Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) – an intergovernmental organization having 28 countries from four continents as members of the Commission. Farhat and her staff is providing support to the Commission to grow and outreach to the entire developing world to collaborate on the Sustainable Development Goals through Science and Technology. Farhat Asif is the WINNER of N-Peace Award 2017 in the category of “Campaign for Action”. This award recognizes the work of a woman and a man whose mobilization in the advancement of women, peace, and security, particularly at the sub-national level. N-Peace is managed by UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub with UNDP Offices across Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines, in partnership with the Institute for Inclusive Security, Washington DC, USA. She has also been awarded the Fellowship of Global Change Leaders Program, 2018 at Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Farhat has done MSc and MPhil from Quaid-I-Azam University and she has a research focus on Public Diplomacy. Apart from this academic and professional background, Farhat is serving at boards of several organizations including Women Regional Network, Aman-o-Nisa: Pakistan Women’s Coalition Against Extremism and is Pakistan’s representative of “Sisters Against Violent Extremism (SAVE), a project by Women Without Borders. She has also been invited by Ambassador Swanee Hunt at the Institute for Inclusive Security as one of 12 influential Pakistani women leaders to visit the US and meet the influential Congress Men and Women to represent Pakistan wherein she met and presented Pakistan’s Case with the then Secretary of State Ms. Hillary Clinton. See the story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shereenhall/pakistan-female-leaders_b_1501214.html. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farhat-asif-86567a9/
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Twitter: @FarhatAkram
