BHIMBER (Kashmir English): Engineer Fakhar Jabran, hailing from Bhimber in Azad Kashmir, has won the PEACE award, part of the Commonwealth Youth Programme 2025, for his substantial contributions to fostering a more peaceful and equitable world through education, technology and youth empowerment.
The awards, given to five exceptional young individuals, have been dedicated to supporting youth development in member countries for over 50 years. The initiative highlights the vital role young leaders play in addressing global challenges and advancing peace and justice within their communities.
According to the Commonwealth press release, each awardee will receive £2,000 for work that exemplifies significant progress in promoting peace.
The other four winners of the PEACE awards include Abongdoh Maluyane Titu from Cameroon, Daphine Namagembe from Uganda, Emmanuel Cosmas Msoka from the United Republic of Tanzania, and Hafsah Muheed from Sri Lanka.
Jabran, who is also a member of the Prime Minister’s National Youth Council of Pakistan, has done extraordinary work for the development of youth. He teaches digital skills to thousands of youth through his platforms Connect Kashmir and Kashmeta, a metaverse-based university, and introduced modern means of education.
Taking on social media, Fakhar wrote, “I am truly humbled to be among the five individuals selected from across all Commonwealth countries for this incredible honor. Receiving the Peace Award is not just a personal achievement but a recognition of the impact we can create through technology, education, and entrepreneurship.”
The top regional winners and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will be announced at a special ceremony on 12 March 2025, hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.
The Youth Awards are an initiative of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, which has supported youth development work in member countries for over 50 years.
The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Head of Social Policy Development Layne Robinson, said, “The Commonwealth continues to celebrate young people as valuable assets to society—problem solvers addressing global challenges with creativity and courage. While we honour this year’s winners, we acknowledge over 800 applicants who, although they may not receive the top prizes, are making a real difference in their communities.”
