The East-West Center successfully launched its new Pakistan-United States Journalists Exchange, which took place April 6-22, 2011.

Participants in the East-West Center's inaugural Pakistan-U.S. Journalists Exchange.

This program is designed to increase and deepen public understanding of the two countries and their important relationship, one that is crucial to regional stability and the global war on terrorism. While there have been many areas of agreement and cooperation, deep mistrust remains between Americans and Pakistanis, who rarely get opportunities to engage with each other and thus rely on media for their information and viewpoints. Unresolved issues continue to pose challenges for both countries.

Participants in the East-West Center’s inaugural Pakistan-U.S. Journalists Exchange began their fellowship in Honolulu with lively discussions on the complex U.S.-Pakistan relationship and issues facing the media in both countries.

While the Pakistani participants did a tour around the United states (Washington, D.C., New York City, and Columbia, Missouri), their American counterparts visited Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan. You can read the entries that a Pakistani journalist has kept at The Express Tribune.

Links:

• Read a post from Media Line about this journalist exchange
• Visit the Pakistan-U.S. Journalists Exchange official website
• Read stories from a Pakistani journalist during the exchange