Faisalabad: January 7, 2012. (PCP) A peaceful demonstration titled ‘Peace is Possible’ to observe world day of peace was joined by 65 participants from different religious background and schools of thought. The demonstration was taken out by AWAM, PHD Foundation, Unity Foundation and CARE Foundation on January 1, 2012 in Tandlianwala, a sub-district of Faisalabad, where the participants pledged to continue efforts for the promotion of peace and harmony. Peace and Human Development (PHD Foundation), Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), SPMUDA, Development Organization for Social Transformation (DOST), Participatory Organization for Women’s Empowerment and Rights (POWER) and Liaison for Enforcement of Human Rights (LEHR) jointly staged a peace walk titled ‘Give Peace and Chance’ on January 2, 2012 to mark the solidarity day, which calls for equal opportunities for the excluded, for justice, and the good governance, fair accountability and rule of law, and promotion of diversity and harmony among communities for building culture of peace in Pakistan. The participants in Faisalabad gathered at the District Council and marched up to the Circular Road to express solidarity with all those suffering violence, inequality, injustices, tyranny, bombings, target killings, extortions, kidnappings, disappearances, torture and lack of access to opportunities. The participants were holding peace symbols, banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of peace, democracy, justice and human rights. They chanted slogans against discrimination, extremism, intolerance and terrorism in the Pakistani society. The peace walk was joined by over 110 Muslim and Christian pacifists from different walks of life including students, lawyers, representatives of trade unions, workers’ unions, political parties and civil society organizations namely; NCJP, PHD, AWAM, PACE, DOST, POWER, CARE, RDS and ISB. Speaking on the occasion, Shazia George urged the government of Pakistan to take exemplary actions against anti-peace elements for their involvement in destructive and unlawful activities, and for inciting hatred and creating rifts on various grounds for their vested interests. Naseem Anthony said, “The educational curriculum must be purged from biased material in order to make it a source of peace promotion, whereas material promoting human rights, peace, harmony and religious, sectarian & ethnic tolerance must be included in the syllabus.” “Lives and properties of the citizens and religious sites of all communities including shrines, churches and mosques must be protected,” he added. Nazia Sardar said, “The state must protect the rights of all its citizens through the provision of justice and the rule of law that holds people, particularly the powerful, accountable for their acts and omissions.” “The parliament must oversee the implementation on the legislations so as to protect citizens, particularly the poor and the marginalized, from oppression,” she demanded. Suneel Malik stressed on the need of unity and harmony among communities as a necessary step towards establishing peace in Pakistan, and called upon the government to recognize, respect and promote the sectarian, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural diversity in order to build a culture of tolerance in Pakistan. “The government must put an end to the violence sparked by ethnicity, colour and creed,” he demanded. Arif Ayaz said, “The government must take strict action against state and non-state actors who take the law in their hands and propagate or encourage militancy and extremism by their words or actions. We must not let anyone mislead us in the name of religion or ideology.”