Anqa Zarish is 25 years old, is a Christian and is from Pakistan. She is a teacher by profession and is passionate about improving the quality of education in her country. She recently completed an MS in Organic Chemistry and wants to start a Doctorate soon. Anqa believes that the lack of access to education and the general quality of teaching contribute to the lack of understanding that underpins many of the social problems and intercultural and interreligious tension in Pakistan and she hopes to take steps as a URI Youth Ambassador to improve the standards of teacher training and incorporating religious literacy and awareness into education.
She helps run a school for “street kids” in an impoverished neighbourhood where people are suspicious that Christian teachers will try to convert the children. To counter this Anqa and her colleagues have brought in Muslim teachers to run Islamic study every week for the children and it is this sort of cooperation that she believes will begin to change attitudes in society and bridge the gap between members of the two faiths.
She is involved in a dialogue group at her university where people from different faiths discuss religious teachings and how to apply them in society.
Since attending the URI Young Leaders Program in India in 2008, Anqa has been enthusiastically involved in the youth activities of URI and hopes to become more involved and share ideas and learn in order to better prepare her plans and projects.
Anqa enjoys Yoga and music – which she writes – and values its peaceful nature.
