Thank you all for being wonderful!

Alhamdulillah, year 2014 has been a very memorable year for me. In the start of the year, I was included in the list of 26 unsung heroes of Pakistanis who have been making the country proud. It was once again an amazing opportunity to represent Pakistan internationally and to visit some really breathtaking places in the Northern Pakistan.

Professionally, it was a year of learning and transforming people both young and many who were lot more older than me in training sessions.... It was an amazing opportunity to work with some of the most wonderful people I met during this year. Friends, young people and students like you not only from within the country but across the globe have been very supportive and appreciating for the efforts in building the positive image of the country and better world amid extremely tough times, and inshAllah I will keep going beyond borders, in my trainings and via every platform I get to spread the message of positivity, peace and love.

What makes us a nation is that we come together during times of national tragedy, but there has never been a time than the horrendous tragedy of Peshawar in the last month of 2014 that has left a lasting effect of heartfelt grief in me and all humanity! 2015 is the year than any year before that we must unite as one for peaceful Pakistan and peaceful World!! We must get rid of terrorism and extremism once and for all. We must play our role in contributing good and positive breaking news which are often deliberately ignored or undermined by negative stories. Solution to many issues which we face today in this World is TOLERANCE and for that there has to be willingness to understand each other, respect differences and appreciate them!!

You can always write to me for any assignments and projects where you think I can be of any help.
Thank you all for being wonderful and I hope you keep encouraging for my work in the year 2015 as you did in previous years.

Love, peace, best wishes and prayers for new year,
Bilal Masood

Feel like a bird & fly high!

So here is a bit of my story that I am sharing today, some of you have asked about it over the time, there is of course lot more to it of what you will read now!

Many of you know it that I have been passionate about public speaking, but it goes back as early as my school days. Coming to stage was something I always loved from childhood. However, my turning point and when it all started was exactly a decade ago during my teen age at the TCS Hyde Park Juniors organized by TCS, a leading courier company of Pakistan. The program focused on public speaking skills for young students within the age bracket of 14 to 17 years. I was selected for the one week training held at the School of Leadership in Karachi, yes it was as early as 2004 I did okay at the Quarter-Finals but learned a lot from it, it was then that I dreamed to be among top few in next round and that is exactly what happened and I secured 3rd Position in the Semi-Finals and here are few pictures of that memorable day!! I also did well at the Finals and was among top 5. Two years later in 2006, TCS then sponsored me for my first all alone International Trip to Prague, Czech Republic to represent the country at the International Leadership Conference.

Since then I never looked back and world kept selecting me for various international youth programs. Alhamdulellah, there has been no short cut, continuous struggle, strive for excellence and an honour to always be on MERIT. Yes, it has not been an easy path when you talk about merit in this part of the world and yes if I would have taken short cut surely I know how things would have been today for me But remember slow and steady wins the race, never Give UP and keep working hard (For the CAUSE and not the REWARD)!! Flying high is your destiny no matter what others say but before you start flying don’t forget to feel like a bird, just keep doing what you truly believe and love….

A huge thank you to all friends for your prayers, appreciation and encouragement over the years and as you continue to do so, it truly means a lot to me and also thanks to all other friends for realizing me where I need to be, it has surely not stopped me working towards the betterment in little capacity possible for me. In these pictures published in TCS Connect Magazine, try to find some highly YOUNG acclaimed and familiar faces...

Love you all and may God bless you all!!!

Bilal Masood
Karachi

Pakistani youth selected to facilitate Model Asia-Europe Meeting

 

 

KARACHI – Bilal Masood, the Youth Ambassador of Pakistan who has represented the country beyond borders and has actively been working for peace and projecting true image of Pakistan is selected as one of the few Facilitators and Resource Persons fully sponsored from Asia and only one from Pakistan for the Model Asia-Europe Meeting 2014 to be held from 8-12 October, 2014 in Milan, Italy.

 

 

The event is a simulation of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) which is going to be held later this month in Milan and will be attended by heads of state from Asia and Europe. The Model ASEM 2014 will offer students the opportunity to deliberate on pertinent issues in Asia-Europe cooperation, including climate change mitigation, economic growth, education and skills development, pandemic influenza and more. The topics to be discussed are based on the agenda of the actual ASEM Summit. Through role-play, participants will enhance their skills of compromise, negotiation and consensus-building.

 

Bilal Masood in the discussions and negotiations will support the Chair of the Political Pillar, who is represented by a student delegate. Bilal will also meet the Consul General of Australia in Milan and will be leading a group of Delegates from Asia and Europe during the visit to the Australian Consulate on 9 October 2014. Moreover, he will be one of the Resource Person’s to organise and implement the cultural evening during the event.

 

Notably, Bilal Masood has also been selected as only one from Asia and Europe to support the crucial and rapid compilation of the Model ASEM 2014 Declaration on Saturday, 11 October 2014. He has already been working as facilitator for the event’s online forum.

 

An announcement here Bilal Masood lamented that the perception of some countries including Pakistan due to one reason or the other which may be wrong comes in the way for the peace loving youth of Pakistan to cross the borders freely. Bilal said, “After submitting all the prerequisite documents and yet being refused for the visa I did not give up and fought peacefully for my right to represent my country, the cause is what matters the most and despite all hassles and stringent visa process, on an appeal and with the support of the organizers, I was finally issued the visa in few hours, a process which normally takes more than fifteen days”.

 

‘‘It is an honour not only for me, but my country and the Asian continent to be invited as a key Facilitator and Resource Person in a prestigious event of young people at the Asia-Europe level”, Bilal added.

 

Bilal Masood will be playing a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan-Italy relations and promoting soft image of Pakistan as he has proudly done previously in more than fifteen countries at youth level including Model Asia-Europe Meeting, 2008 in Beijing, China where he was awarded as the Best Delegate Speaker from Asia and Europe in Political Pillar.

 

Source:http://www.pakistantribe.com/story/20759/pakistani-youth-selected-to-facilitate-model-asia-europe-meeting/

 

'Go Nawaz Go!' Going Viral?

This is what happened today and something 100% true; it took place in the 6th grade class at a school in Karachi today (22-09-14):

A new teacher came to the class to teach Social Studies, she was replacing another teacher who went on 40 days Hajj (pilgrimage) holidays. Just after few minutes of the class, you know what students did? They chanted “GO Nawaz Go, Go Nawaz Go!!” this continued for some time and the entire school echoed with one voice and one slogan :) Eventually, teacher left not only the class, but the school.

Like it or not, the notion 'Go Nawaz Go!' has definitely gone viral from the streets of Pakistan to its Kids and now to Asian Games…

P.S: I am not a member of any political party nor may be a supporter of the above slogan, but I do write what is reality and true.

'VIP Culture' off-loaded!

Oh yeah, 'VIP Culture' off-loaded!

Hats off to Pakistani citizens for standing up to the powerful and against the so-called `VIP culture'! It has to start from ONE like it did on PIA flight from Karachi to Islamabad on Monday evening where one man stood up and others followed him in saying #NotoVipCulture and yes time has come where VIPs including politicians need to be embarrassed and ashamed, leaving with no option for them but to turn their back in shame so that they never ever consider themselves to be 'VIPs' but common citizens just like any other law-abiding citizen.

Again people won comprehensively, politicians failed miserably!!!

Piece in Urdu on current political situation

 

Pakistan Zindabad!

Back 2 Back Trainings

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit"~Aristotle.

 

Live @ Dawn News, 7th May 2014

Moment when you share the same platform with one of your inspirational icon, LIVE in front of millions of viewers across the world during prime time hours in Pakistan. It was an honour to speak along with Dr Atta ur Rehman, prominent scientist, former Federal Minister of Science & Technology, former Federal Minister of Education, former Chairman Higher Education Commission, author of hundreds of books and recipient of Pakistan’s and Austria’s highest national Civil Award and number of other international awards...It was an articulately hosted program Khabar Say Khabar on The DawnNews Profile Page by Fareed Rais.

 

My CB Story: Bilal Masood from Pakistan

In 2011, I was fortunate to be the only one selected among a pool of 500 applicants from the Muslim countries and was awarded a prestigious Muslim-West dialogue scholarship to study Crossing Borders Global Studies Program in Denmark.

Continuing my term for the autumn semester, I spent nearly a year there which allowed me to not only meet diverse group of CB students, but it also provided a unique opportunity to initiate a chapter of Crossing Borders in Pakistan. “Crossing Borders Pakistan” as an informal association of Crossing Borders Network. Interestingly, this startup was initiated from the office of Crossing Borders in Denmark and long nights were served for the planning and implementation of it. Certainly, there are no short cuts and without hard work nothing is possible

 

Crossing Borders Pakistan provides a platform to the youngsters of Pakistan to come together and not only be tolerant to each other but interact, accept and respect one another while sharing their experiences and ideas for better Pakistan and making positive practical contribution for the development of the country and also promoting the message of peace and friendship between Pakistan and rest of the world.

 

Currently, there are volunteers who are making a positive change via this unique platform and amidst tough times they have stood up to bring their energies and hope at Crossing Borders Pakistan. What started from only one person, now the family of CB Pakistan is ever growing with more than 1,500 members at its Facebook page.
 

Amazingly, the work of Crossing Borders has been noted both in Pakistan and abroad. In January, 2014 I was honoured to be included in the list of 26 amazing Pakistanis who have made the country proud! Read more here!

 

It was after returning from Crossing Borders Global Studies program that the series of features about me and Guest appearances at the leading Media Channels and publications were started and still going. I have also been invited as a Public/Motivational Speaker at number of youth events. Moreover, I have represented Crossing Borders Pakistan at global youth events in Egypt, Nepal and South Korea.

 

It is pivotal to mention here that it has not been a walk in the park to continue this initiative. While almost every day there is so much of online activism and space for dialogue being created, but there are many challenges involved to take all the good work at Crossing Borders Pakistan from an online world to the grass-root level. However, this has not deterred us in any way and we will continue to do what is possible in our capacities to bring even a little change we can.

 

The chapter which I established back in June, 2011 has continued in full swing till date, the seeds planted in Humlebaek and ECO villages back some years ago in Denmark are reaping fruits in Pakistan and beyond. I wish all Crossing Borders Global Studies Students experience Crossing Borders in an unprecedented way which I did.

 

If you want to volunteer for CB Pakistan or want to collaborate on projects please contact me: bilal@crossingborder.org, you can also follow me on my blog.

Last but not least, the story that you have just read, it has only started as I pen it down. Meanwhile, I hope the next story I read here will be yours!

Bilal Masood

Founder/Director Crossing Borders Pakistan

Crossing Borders Ambassador

Youth Ambassador of Pakistan

Originally published @ http://crossingborders.dk/cb-story-bilal-masood-pakistan/

What World we want?

One can't understand the decision of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to ban its citizens flying other teams' flags during World T20! It is not only against the cricketing spirit but also against the democratic values...Yes, there can be no better honour than to raise your country's flag, but as a Global Citizen it is also important to respect other countries flags...Bangladeshi people love cricket and they are true supporters of good teams, they are free to express and fly the flag of any country they want in a world tournament...this ridiculous decision MUST be taken back by BCB! We Love our countries, we love the world and if we want peace & tolerance we can't inculcate in the common people and our children that they should not hold any other country's flag...is this the world we want?

Why I Love Pakistan?

 

In the list of '26 amazing Pakistanis who have made us proud!

Alhamdulillah, in the list of '26 amazing Pakistanis who have made us proud'Thank you and love you all!

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/20356/26-average-pakistanis-who-have-made-us-proud/