International non-violence conference held in Kabul

October 4, 2009 (Pajhwok): The first-ever international conference on non-violence in South Asia was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Kabul on Sunday.

The conference was attended by former ministers and parliamentarians from some regional countries including Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta told the participants the main objective behind the event was to set in motion a dialogue process to discourage hate and violence and enable future generations to respect the principle.

Spanta added: "The assessment of non-violent movement on the Asian continent and South Asia has a unique importance for Afghan people."

Afrasiab Khattak, a Pakistani lawmaker, said: "The current wave of violence in the region has not been created by the people living here. In fact, it has been imposed on us by outsiders."

The Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) president, Abdul Hameed Mubarez, told PAN: "Conducting such conferences can really have a great impact and would be effective in changing mindsets."