Can We Learn Something From The Swedes? | PKKH.tv
PKKH Exclusive | by Sarah Khan Azeemi
A call from PILDAT that I had made it to a week-long study visit to Sweden, sent adrenaline rushing through the blood. The purpose of the trip was to gain familiarity with Swedish democratic system but that was the last thing on my mind. All I knew was, it was going to be FUN.
And then the day came. I heard the captain of the plane advising us to fasten our seat belts as the plane was about to land in Stockholm. The first sight of the city took me to a different world. The way from airport to hotel was a view to behold; Wonderful landscape, standard and even sized buildings and trees standing tall in full bloom autumn.
Our host from the Swedish Institute was a true Swede; lean and tall, humble and humorous, with a cheerful smile that brought warmth in that freezing cold. While detailing us about our program and Stockholm in general, he would always bring his children and family in the narrative, like when he reaches home, he reads stories to his son.
We had several meetings with government officials and various ombudsmen and it was during these meetings that I came to know that the word and the concept of Ombudsman had originated in Sweden. Some of the people I came across actually sounded quite proud of the fact.
During a meeting with the Press Ombudsman, it was pointed out that there was a certain law which could be manipulated by journalists; she looked at us as if we were being cynical. In a surprised low voice she asked us, Why would somebody do that? All I did was to look around the room to be sure that I had heard what the rest of my fellow young parliamentarians had heard as well. There were sheepish smiles all around.
She could not believe anyone would stoop so low and we could not gather why someone would not. It was more a cultural difference than anything else. If there is a law, they would obey it, while we take it for granted that those who can flout it, will not think twice.
Accountability, high moral standards, humility and kindness are some of the traits that are essential and common characteristics of the Swedes. I remember once we had to walk to a meeting .As we approached the venue, it suddenly started raining. We had to run inside the building and we saw a man who immediately stood up and held the door open for us with a big smile on his face. It was nice of him, but when we got to know the man was no one but the same government representative who we had come to meet, it opened a new window for us to have a better understanding of the social norms in Sweden.
During his presentation he told us that around 25 percent of Swedish Youth is unemployed and later apprised us about their idea of giving asylum to some 50,000 people in 2013. He was asked how they would accommodate them with jobs and housings when they themselves are in stress. His reply was enough to give me a shake, If we dont give them shelter then somewhere at the back of our minds we would know that someone looked up to us and we didnt help them. We will do something about it since Sweden is not a poor country; we are a social welfare state.
For days, I tried to come out of the trance of his words, but could not.
Back home, I avoided news channels for I didnt want to feel frustrated so early. But for how long!
I may sound a bit carried away, but thats not the case. I just realized the difference between their journalists and ours, their bureaucrats and ours, their norms and ours. Coming from a country where you see your government officials laced with extra powers and protocol and where you see people venting their frustration out on traffic signals but on the other hand you see a complete different picture which explains why I am all praises to them.
How many of us know that a smile can make someones day That a small word of gratitude can make someone feel happy and worthy?
How many times our parents read a story to us when we were kids or we read to our younger siblings? How many times have we thought about improving our own selves?
How many of us have thought about the guy clinging on to the State life building who could have been saved , about those who were burned alive in the factory but could have been evacuated?
I neither know what you think, nor I know what the future has in store for us, but I do know that we wont be taxed if we dream of a better life.
We didnt get a better Pakistan to live in. Dreams and opportunities didnt come to us on a platter. But in the future when we move on in life, we can give dreams and hopes to our children by reading them the stories; teaching them the ethics and values which no institution in the world can teach but home.
I dont want my children to zap TV channels unmindful of human casualties like de-sensitised zombies.
I know things are complicated here, but I cannot give up on my dreams. I am not living in a better Pakistan and I know whats wrong where. The question is who would fix it and the person reading it can look up in the mirror to get the answer. Yes, YOU, my dear fellow national.
Sarah Khan Azeemi, Former Deputy Speaker of Youth Parliment, Pildat. She Tweets by @Sarahkhanazeemi
Source
PKKH Exclusive | by Sarah Khan Azeemi
A call from PILDAT that I had made it to a week-long study visit to Sweden, sent adrenaline rushing through the blood. The purpose of the trip was to gain familiarity with Swedish democratic system but that was the last thing on my mind. All I knew was, it was going to be FUN.
And then the day came. I heard the captain of the plane advising us to fasten our seat belts as the plane was about to land in Stockholm. The first sight of the city took me to a different world. The way from airport to hotel was a view to behold; Wonderful landscape, standard and even sized buildings and trees standing tall in full bloom autumn.
Our host from the Swedish Institute was a true Swede; lean and tall, humble and humorous, with a cheerful smile that brought warmth in that freezing cold. While detailing us about our program and Stockholm in general, he would always bring his children and family in the narrative, like when he reaches home, he reads stories to his son.
We had several meetings with government officials and various ombudsmen and it was during these meetings that I came to know that the word and the concept of Ombudsman had originated in Sweden. Some of the people I came across actually sounded quite proud of the fact.
During a meeting with the Press Ombudsman, it was pointed out that there was a certain law which could be manipulated by journalists; she looked at us as if we were being cynical. In a surprised low voice she asked us, Why would somebody do that? All I did was to look around the room to be sure that I had heard what the rest of my fellow young parliamentarians had heard as well. There were sheepish smiles all around.
She could not believe anyone would stoop so low and we could not gather why someone would not. It was more a cultural difference than anything else. If there is a law, they would obey it, while we take it for granted that those who can flout it, will not think twice.
Accountability, high moral standards, humility and kindness are some of the traits that are essential and common characteristics of the Swedes. I remember once we had to walk to a meeting .As we approached the venue, it suddenly started raining. We had to run inside the building and we saw a man who immediately stood up and held the door open for us with a big smile on his face. It was nice of him, but when we got to know the man was no one but the same government representative who we had come to meet, it opened a new window for us to have a better understanding of the social norms in Sweden.
During his presentation he told us that around 25 percent of Swedish Youth is unemployed and later apprised us about their idea of giving asylum to some 50,000 people in 2013. He was asked how they would accommodate them with jobs and housings when they themselves are in stress. His reply was enough to give me a shake, If we dont give them shelter then somewhere at the back of our minds we would know that someone looked up to us and we didnt help them. We will do something about it since Sweden is not a poor country; we are a social welfare state.
For days, I tried to come out of the trance of his words, but could not.
Back home, I avoided news channels for I didnt want to feel frustrated so early. But for how long!
I may sound a bit carried away, but thats not the case. I just realized the difference between their journalists and ours, their bureaucrats and ours, their norms and ours. Coming from a country where you see your government officials laced with extra powers and protocol and where you see people venting their frustration out on traffic signals but on the other hand you see a complete different picture which explains why I am all praises to them.
How many of us know that a smile can make someones day That a small word of gratitude can make someone feel happy and worthy?
How many times our parents read a story to us when we were kids or we read to our younger siblings? How many times have we thought about improving our own selves?
How many of us have thought about the guy clinging on to the State life building who could have been saved , about those who were burned alive in the factory but could have been evacuated?
I neither know what you think, nor I know what the future has in store for us, but I do know that we wont be taxed if we dream of a better life.
We didnt get a better Pakistan to live in. Dreams and opportunities didnt come to us on a platter. But in the future when we move on in life, we can give dreams and hopes to our children by reading them the stories; teaching them the ethics and values which no institution in the world can teach but home.
I dont want my children to zap TV channels unmindful of human casualties like de-sensitised zombies.
I know things are complicated here, but I cannot give up on my dreams. I am not living in a better Pakistan and I know whats wrong where. The question is who would fix it and the person reading it can look up in the mirror to get the answer. Yes, YOU, my dear fellow national.
Sarah Khan Azeemi, Former Deputy Speaker of Youth Parliment, Pildat. She Tweets by @Sarahkhanazeemi
Source
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