From UOR to YPDC: Seven Days That Changed My Perspective

I went to the YPDC Fellowship expecting seven days of learning. I returned with a different understanding of leadership, connection, and my own role as a young Pakistani. 

As a student at University of Rawalpindi, I had the opportunity to participate in the YPDC Fellowship in August 2026, organized under the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives (MOPD&SI). The seven-day program brought together young people from across Pakistan for training, discussions, cultural exchange, networking, and leadership activities. 

Zoyia Aiman represents University of Rawalpindi at the YPDC Fellowship 2026.

That is what YPDC became for me.
I arrived eager to learn about youth development. I left with greater confidence in my ability to participate, communicate, and take responsibility.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

YPDC offered a learning environment built around interaction.
Instead of simply receiving information, we were encouraged to discuss ideas, work in teams, and learn from one another. Participants came from different cities, universities, and backgrounds, which made every conversation an opportunity to see familiar issues from a new angle.

The sessions with the UNICEF team were particularly valuable. They introduced us to perspectives on youth, communities, social development, and meaningful participation. These discussions helped me understand that preparing young people for the future involves much more than academic qualifications or career opportunities.

Participants engage with the fellowship proceedings during the YPDC Fellowship

Young people also need communication skills, confidence, community awareness, and opportunities to contribute.
One idea stayed with me throughout the fellowship: we often describe young people as the future of Pakistan, but our role does not begin tomorrow.
We are already part of the present.

Representing University of Rawalpindi

Being selected for YPDC was an honor, but representing University of Rawalpindi made the experience even more meaningful.
I was not attending only as an individual. I was representing my university among young people from across the country.

One of the most memorable opportunities came when I was selected to co-host the Cultural Night. Standing on stage in front of participants from different regions was exciting, but it also required confidence, preparation, and teamwork.
The evening celebrated Pakistan's cultural diversity through traditions, languages, creativity, and personal stories. Seeing participants share their regional identities reminded me how much richness exists within our country.

Zoyia Aiman co hosts the Cultural Night during the Uraan YPDC Fellowship Programme 2026

Co-hosting also gave me the chance to apply the skills we discussed during the fellowship. I had to coordinate with others, communicate clearly, and remain composed in a live setting.
That experience changed the way I view representation. Carrying the name of UOR onto a national platform was not simply an honor. It was a responsibility to represent the university with confidence and professionalism.

The People Behind the Experience

The fellowship would not have been the same without the people I met.
At the beginning, most participants were strangers. By the end, conversations had developed into friendships, professional connections, and exchanges that extended far beyond the scheduled sessions.
I discovered that meaningful networking is not about how many people we meet. It is about what we learn from them.

A conversation introduced me to a different career journey. Another showed me a new way of approaching a social issue. Others revealed shared interests that could potentially lead to future collaboration.

Zoyia Aiman with fellow participants during the YPDC Fellowship

Meeting young people from different parts of Pakistan also gave me a broader understanding of the country's youth. Our backgrounds may differ, but there is enormous potential when diverse perspectives come together around common goals.
For me, that was one of YPDC's greatest strengths: it created a space where young people could learn from each other rather than simply learn about each other.

What I Took Home

Seven days cannot change everything, but they can change the way you look at things.
YPDC gave me exposure to new perspectives, practical experience in communication and coordination, and connections with young people who are working towards different goals across Pakistan.

It also reminded me why opportunities for youth engagement matter. Students need spaces where they can exchange ideas, develop confidence, understand different communities, and take meaningful responsibility.
I am grateful to University of Rawalpindi for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to represent UOR beyond the campus. I am also thankful to UNICEF, the fellowship organizers, mentors, and fellow participants for making these seven days so meaningful.

YPDC Fellowship participants come together during the 2026 programme, representing diverse regions, universities and communities across Pakistan.

Most importantly, the experience left me with a question that I intend to carry forward:
What can I do today with the opportunities, connections, and confidence I have gained?
I arrived at YPDC looking forward to learning.
I left ready to participate more actively.
Seven days gave me more than memories. They gave me a wider vision of what I can contribute and a stronger belief that young people do not have to wait for tomorrow to make a difference.