GCU Launches ‘The Great Debate 2023’

News Desk

Lahore: The Government College University Lahore (GCUL) has launched ‘The Great Debate 2023’, a forum for multi-stakeholder discourses, which is envisaged by the university as a constructive space for intellectual exchange of ideas and a means to discuss contemporary problems of national and global importance.

GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Syed Zaidi said, “The forum aims to become a vehicle of democratisation, social awareness, and meaningful political change for the country.”

The inaugural event of ‘The Great Debate’ is scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, and will focus on Pakistan’s National Economy: Identifying the Challenges and Solutions.

Dr Zaidi stated that Pakistan is in the midst of a debilitating economic crisis, exacerbated by a lack of political stability and a constitutional crisis. “The rise of terrorism and border security issues, coupled with shifts in the global balance of powers, have raised a multitude of questions that require a timely and thorough discussion,” he added.

To ensure an intellectually engaging and diverse exchange of ideas, multiple stakeholders, including academicians, parliamentarians, civil servants, judges, lawyers, media persons, social activists, and community leaders, will be invited to participate in the discussion.

Their participation will be combined with their initiative, ‘Reimagining Pakistan’, which aims to present a roadmap for the country’s future. Their insights and experiences are expected to greatly enrich the discussion and help identify and prioritise the most pressing economic challenges facing Pakistan.

The inaugural chapter will follow a roundtable model, where an introductory and housekeeping note will be followed by the discussion of the agenda through the conventional Socratic line of questioning.

The Vice-Chancellor expressed his gratitude to the speakers and all the stakeholders who have agreed to participate in the debate.

VC Zaidi hoped that the forum would be an excellent opportunity for an intellectual exchange of ideas, leading to practical solutions that could help the country overcome its challenges and move towards a better future.