HIVE is the only Pakistani organization that has won the award for its innovative campaigning against extremism.
Named after human rights icon Nelson Mandela and former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique, Graça Machel, the awards are led by global civil society alliance, CIVICUS and seek to celebrate, promote, and defend a worldwide community of informed and inspired citizens engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity.
The 2021 Innovation Awards recognize groups that stand out for their innovative work building people power in support of human rights and social justice for everyone.
Through a public open call, submissions were accepted and the winners were selected from a pool of inspiring applicants from over 70 countries.
An external committee of civil society leaders and activists with thematic expertise reviewed and selected seven winners. Each winner will receive US$5000 in recognition of their work in promoting people power, human rights and social justice.
The winner in the category of “creating positive narratives for people power” was HIVE Pakistan.
HIVE Pakistan is a social impact organization based in Islamabad working to address issues of extremism and marginalization through innovative campaigning, youth-focused mentorship and upstream mobilization.
HIVE Pakistan’s campaign that won the award is called AIK – Better Together which uses life-size hologram of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to advocate for an equal and inclusive Pakistan.
Quaid-e-Azam’s own statements on interfaith harmony, inclusive development, women empowerment and pluralism are re-created using 3D holographic technology and screened in public places for mass engagement.
HIVE has carried out the campaign in six cities so far engaging more than 50,000 people on the ground and reached out to millions of youths online.
Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, Executive Director of HIVE Pakistan upon receiving the award said,
“It is therefore incumbent upon us to disrupt hate, divisiveness and reclaim technology as a tool for social good.
