IRC organized an eight-day residential digital storytelling and advocacy camp from 5th to 12th September. We engaged university students in this workshop. The students of mass communication department from Karachi University and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Forman Christian College and Beacon house national university were selected. The objective of this workshop was to build a community. We reached out to the universities as we aim to create a network with these universities to engage the youth of our country. In this workshop we worked on four thematic topics with our participants: the future of democracy, future of media, civic engagement and climate crisis. The focus was on collective imagination and learning. Participants worked on these themes using two tools of communication that are digital content creation and theater and produced 4 short films and 2 theater pieces which can be found on Maati tv YouTube channel.

Engaging University Students on Democracy, Peace and Human Rights-NED- 2011

Along with NED IRC launched a campaign where mobile video, community filmmaking and theatre training programs were initiated in 10 universities across Pakistan. These workshops instilled leadership qualities within them.A platform for citizen journalism was also provided that would aim at working as a watchdog for mainstream media. Long term internships were also to be provided to train them for a future in media advocacy.

The names of the universities are

•  Forman Christian College
•  Fatima Jinnah College for girls chuna mandi
•  Islamic university Bahawalpur
•  Peshawar university
•  Punjab university
•  Hazara university
• Sargodha university
• Sindh university
• Bhawadin zakariya university

South Asain Visual Arts Centre (SAVAC)- Story of Nida- 2010

“Story of Nida known as Pasha Ali” was a short film directed by Athar Ahmed which highlights the attributes of resilience and everyday courage, continues the programs exploration of performing gender while beginning a short detour about families.Nida describes her move from Hyderabad in southern Pakistan to Multan where she then lives by altering her name and gender to a man named Pasha.

Joint Projects in Partnerships with Educational Institutes- 2010 

IRC has trained students and teachers of the following universities and colleges on interactive theater and participatory video:

•  FC College University
•  Government College University
• Lahore College for women university Lahore
•  MAO College Lahore
•  Fatima Jinnah College for women Lahore
•  Superior Law College Lahore
•  Quaid e Azam Law college Lahore
•  Kinnaird College for women Lahore
•  Kinnaird Academy
•  BZUMultan
•  SindhUniversity
• IslamiaUniversityBahawalpur

Students of these colleges and universities not only get training in theatre and media rather present their own projects of documentaries and theatre. Moreover they are encouraged to get engaged in various campaigns and projects of IRC.

Internship Program at IRC – 2010 

The objectives of the internship program was: 

• To provide a framework by which graduate and post-graduate students from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to Interactive Resource Centre where their educational experience can be enhanced through practical work, assignments and projects. 
• To expose them to the work of IRC.
• To provide IRC with the assistance of qualified students specialized in various professional fields. 

Four girls from Fatima Jinnah College Chunamandi, Lahore made a documentary on eunuchs “Zindagi Tamasha Bani” which was a result of 15 Days Participatory Video Training Workshop at Fatima Jinnah College Chunamandi, Lahore organized by Interactive Resource Centre.

Participatory Video Training (p19- 7-10)

The IRC has conducted various participatory video training sessions at:

Mao College 

Allai 

Forman Christian College 

Islamia College 

And with local communities. 

Advance Theatre Workshop- CRS- 2004 

Advance theatre workshop was conducted at the SPO office and was a 6 day activity which was meticulously regulated by IRC. Theater groups which practiced included LSRDA Mirpur Khas, MRDP from Khairpur and TRD from Dadu, since most of the participants were new,  multiple physical and vocal exercises were done in order to improve the coherence on the stage. The theme selected was Peace.

A second advanced theatre training took place with two groups at National Council of Churches, Lahore i.e WASFD Swabi and NRDP Narowal

Joker Training Workshop- CRS- 2004 

5 organizations were selected for the interactive theatre from WEPP partners of CRS and organized theatre workshops with them.2 people from each organization were selected for the joker training in which their ingenuity was tested since they were supposed to dig out the issues within the community and develop a play on it.

World Social Forum- Bombay- 2004

IRC took 5 theatre plays that were performed under it while participating for the world social forum. The themes of the play are Fisher folk, Minority rights, Peace, Farmers in war days and worker issues