About Us
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- Mission Statement
- Birth of Pen
- Dedication
Mission Statement
PEN Foundation International strives to expand the role of education globally as a tool for self-enrichment, empowerment and peace. By focusing our efforts on the poorest nations in the international community, PFI works to establish schools and other educational programs. Our goal is to make education accessible to all regardless of race, gender, religion or creed, with the hope of furthering international peace and prosperity.
Birth of PFI
Everyone has a dream or an aspiration. PEN Foundation International is no exception. Our dream is to ensure that every child has a right to an education. As a former teacher in Balochistan, I am committed to achieving this dream. In July 2003, I established PFI’s "Teachers Without Boundaries." My intention was to create an organization that would focus on global educational development without consideration of boundaries or nationalities.
We are a pro-peace humanitarian organization with no political agenda. PFI was founded on principles of non-violence, the promotion of human rights, and equality for all. All this begins with education. It is our belief that peace comes through helping children reach their potential, because each child is part of the future.
As Dr. Martin Luther King expressed in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, there is a longing for unity and equality that has existed across generations and races. If nations take the view that we live on one planet and that all neighbors should be concerned for each other, I sincerely believe that world peace could be a reality. If we labor together, no child should have to struggle to survive. To make this dream a reality, I ask for your support. Together we can make a difference. Groups like UNICEF and the Peace Corps are doing commendable work. Yet the bureaucracy present in many local governments prevent children from gaining access to much needed educational tools. It is our intention to deliver these tools, in the form of trained teachers, basic supplies, books and buildings, directly to young learners.
Spreading education is critical as young people are frequently victims of manipulation and propaganda. Boys are recruited into militant groups as soldiers while girls are sold to men much older than themselves. As a small organization, we are able to focus our efforts and vow to direct them to those most in need. We must act and act now! Our goal is to reach those areas that were neglected for too long, a commitment that will require a dedicated and global effort.
As PFI approaches its 6th year, we happily look to the breaking of new ground on our first “Black Tent” school in Balochistan and the beginning stages of a future organization, The Center for International Settlement and Development (CISD). We anticipate future growth of both PFI and CISD and are excited for what the next six years, and the decades after, will bring in regards to peace, equality and education.
Dedication
Our efforts are dedicated to all the teachers who give of themselves selflessly to enlighten children. Our nonviolent approach of helping others stems from the teachings of great men like the late champions of peace through nonviolence, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King. People like Mother Theresa, who gave her life to the betterment of the human condition, are our role models. Much like the late Prime Minister of Sweden, Olof Palme, we promote equality of all people. Our passion for equality, justice, human rights, and democracy were strongly influenced by people like Nelson Mandela and former President Jimmy Carter. These international, inter-race and inter-gender inspirations lay the framework for our work at PFI, and we follow the path paved by great minds before us.
Hakim Said
Executive Director