LahoreInternational youth exchanges should lead to lasting friendships and institutional cooperation, Rizwan Anwar said at a reception hosted by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) for the SEE Pakistan international youth exchange delegation, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
The remarks matter because they set out how the programme sees exchanges: not as one-off visits, but as the start of long-term links between young people and institutions in Pakistan and abroad.
Key points
- Event: PMYP reception for the SEE Pakistan international youth exchange delegation
- Place: Lahore
- Reported by: Associated Press of Pakistan, 19 August 2026
- Attended by: international delegates, vice chancellors, educationists and youth leaders
- Central message: exchanges should become a basis for long-term partnerships
A reception for an international delegation
The reception was held in Lahore to honour the SEE Pakistan international youth exchange delegation. APP reports that international delegates, vice chancellors, educationists, youth leaders and other guests attended.
APP names four university heads among the guests: Dr Uzma Qureshi, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University; Prof Dr Muhammad Ali, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Punjab; Prof Dr Zaib-un-Nisa Hussain, Vice Chancellor of the University of Home Economics Lahore; and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education Lahore.
Leaders of today, ambassadors to the world
Rizwan Anwar welcomed the delegation and pointed to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for youth development, empowerment, global connectivity and international engagement.
Pakistani youth, he said, are “not merely the leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today and ambassadors of Pakistan to the world,” as quoted by APP. Exchange programmes, he added, help young people understand different cultures, exchange ideas, build lasting connections and present a positive image of Pakistan abroad.
Beyond visits and ceremonies
Exchanges, Rizwan Anwar said, should go beyond visits or ceremonies and become a foundation for long-term friendships, institutional cooperation and stronger international ties.
He named education, digital skills, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, innovation, research and international exposure as the key pillars of youth development. Under PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, he said, the programme offers young people chances to build skills, strengthen leadership, pursue entrepreneurship and innovation, and connect with international networks.
He also invited the international delegates to experience Pakistan’s culture, hospitality, diversity and history, and the potential of its young generation.
Related coverage and background
Read the original report at Associated Press of Pakistan. For more on Rizwan Anwar’s work, see the Media & News page, the report on the youth engagement session in London, or the blog.
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