Mortenson builds hope for Pakistan – Pakistan to honor Greg Mortenson of Bozeman, Montana (Central Asia Institute) for his efforts to educate the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan

The Pakistan government announced Friday that Greg Mortenson will receive its civilian award, the Sitara-e-Pakistan or The Star of Pakistan, in an Islamabad ceremony in March.

Mortenson, director of the Bozeman-based nonprofit Central Asia Institute https://www.ikat.org/, has spent the past 15 years building schools, particularly for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Civil Awards were established March 19, 1957, following the proclamation of Pakistan as an independent republic on March 23, 1956. According to the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, along with the Decorations Act 1975, the president of Pakistan confers civil awards in recognition of gallantry or distinction.

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/08/16/news/30mortenson.txt

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Gazette Opinion: Mortenson builds hope for Pakistan

Pakistan may be the most dangerous country in the world. Grinding poverty, chronic political instability, government corruption, civil unrest, terrorists operating within its borders and the nation’s possession of nuclear weapons – all these factors contribute to that unfortunate designation.

In that perilous place, one Montanan continues to carry a torch for hope and enlightenment. Greg Mortenson, director of the Central Asia Institute, has been building schools in Pakistan for 15 years. In recent years, the institute also has built schools in neighboring Afghanistan. Each school has been built in collaboration with the local community and at the invitation of local people. The schools are nonsectarian and open to all children. But most students are girls because fewer other schools are open to girls in those countries. Mortenson, who makes his home in Bozeman, long ago recognized the need for educating girls. In addition to helping young women improve their own lives, education of girls improves the health and vitality of the entire community because women (mothers) have responsibility for the care of children and families.

So it is fitting that Mortensen has been selected to receive the Star of Pakistan civilian award from the government of Pakistan at a ceremony in Islamabad in March.

Full Opinion: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/08/20/opinion/gazette/50-gazetteopinion.txt