Fifth session of the Online International Course on “The Community with Shared Future: Leading to a New Inclusive World” jointly organized by Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing, and Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad

On 5th February 2021 the fifth session of the Online International Course “The Community with Shared Future: Leading to a New Inclusive World” was held. This course is jointly organized by Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing, and Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad.
The theme of the fifth session was “Community with Shared Future: Developing Connectivity for Inclusive Global Growth and Development” and the speaker for this session was Dr. Negussie Andre Dominic, Senior Lecturer, Department of the Philosophy, St. Augustine University of Tanzania.
He initiated the discussion by elaborating the concepts such as Inclusiveness, Global Growth, and Development. Dr. Dominic also explained the idea of Global Growth and Development through the Confucious school of thought. According to Dr. Dominic, no society can develop and flourish holistically if the greater portion of the society is poor.
Dr. Dominic also, briefly, talked about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve the SDGs, governments and all individuals need to work on SDG no. 17 i.e Partnerships for the Goals. With partnership, collaboration, and cooperative efforts, the SDGs can not be achieved.
Moreover, he highlighted the significance of the Inclusive Development. According to Dr. Dominic, development is only possible through mass participation. For mass participation, inclusion is required. He further mentioned that the exclusion of individuals and groups can become a major threat to social cohesion and affect humanity.
Dr. Dominic also identified a few of the factors of exclusion which include structural and economic exclusion, historical oppression, discrimination, absence of political or legal recognition, and institutional non-acceptance.
Dr. Dominic explained that inclusion and exclusion are concepts that are deeply rooted in societies. They exist in economic as well as non-economic factors such as norms, culture, belief systems, and historical legacy. Furthermore, he mentioned that the political system influences the level of inclusion and exclusion in a society or country.
He concluded by highlighting that the connectivity accelerates the development of better logistics and infrastructure to connect remote areas with urban growth centers.
Moreover, he appreciated that students from all across Pakistan are a part of this online international course. This course will enable them to understand the idea of a community with a shared future and its positive impacts on the development of countries.
The session was moderated by Ms. Palwasha Nawaz, Deputy Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future.