GCU Student Won Fourth Annual GREAT Debate Competition 2019

Haris Ali Virk, Government College University Lahore, (GCU) student has won this year’s Fourth Annual GREAT Debate Competition 2019 final round organized by British High Commission, in Islamabad. Ten debaters from universities across Pakistan took part in the final round of this highly intense debating competition. Lajpal Haider Malik from FAST University Islamabad was declared as runner up of the competition.

The panel of judges for the competition included: Rosemary Hilhorst, British Council Country Director, Chevening Alumni, Advocate High Court and Head of Litigation at ABS & Co., Amna Abbas; Chevening Alumni and Parliamentary Consultant, Minail Khan and Mentor and Consultant, Haider Mairaj. The Acting British High Commissioner, Richard Crowder was invited at the event as a chief guest.

While speaking at the occasion the British Commissioner said, ‘This year the UK is celebrating the strong trade links between our two countries, Pakistan’s largest export market in Europe is UK and second largest globally and we would like to see more UK-based companies doing business in, and with, Pakistan. This is the fourth edition of this great debating competition and I am delighted that we have been able to include debaters from each of the provincial capitals of Pakistan.

Mr. Crowder expressed immense delight in providing a platform to Pakistan’s talented debaters to discuss themes related to future of Pakistan. He congratulated all the finalists and appreciated their efforts and enthusiasm. He hoped that the students will play a vital role to build bright future of Pakistan.  The GREAT Debate competition is an initiative by British High Commission of Pakistan to engage Pakistani university students in public speaking, interact with their fellow students, do research and analysis and enhance their debating skills. The runner up and winner of the competition received a scholarship reward as a contribution towards their tuition fees from British High Commission.

The Two-Day NTU-DICE Textile Innovation Event Held at National Textile University, Faisalabad

The fourth two-day NTU-DICE Textile Innovation Event held at National Textile University, Faisalabad on 20th March 2019. The 5th International conference on Value Addition and Innovation in Textiles (COVITEX) along with textile innovation event was also held. The aim of organizing this innovation event is to upgrade and develop textile sector of Pakistan with innovative and creative ideas.

The conference was monitored and organized by Dr Yasir Nawab, Dean Faculty of Engineering & Technology, NTU. During conference commercialization of innovations, textile engineering capacity building, leveraging knowledge of expatriates around the world, was helping government to make policy regarding development of textile industry and providing platform to international markets to access textile industry of Pakistan.

The event successfully gathered academia and textile industry together under same platform and gave exposure to both of the sectors to find opportunities. Textile industry experts from Pakistan, China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, USA, UK, Australia, Nigeria and Sudan engaged in discussions and speeches in the conference. Amount of 0.6 million was allocated to give awards to winners of exhibition and textile innovation competitions.