The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland †An Activist’s Perspective. :: Politics Political

The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland An Activists PerspectiveAcknowledgements This paper and its presentation was made practical by funding from the European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, Measure 4.1, from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, Stormont, Belfast. The author would also like to acknowledge the economic aid of his Northern Ireland based and international colleagues, and the patience beyond reason of his family, Kim, Raffy and Evie.For years I would not let the dark gods of politics and religion possess me. hostile many of my age and background, I had made that mythic leap and crossed the Jordan. My Protestant working-class background and all its shibboleths would not contain me. I chose to need questions and not accept ready made answers. We discover our own answers if we have the will to do so and if we are not afraid of the confrontation with ourselves that much(prenominal) a journey might entail.Thos e who cross the Jordan and seek out truth through a different experience from the wholeness they are born to, ... theirs is the great struggle. To move from one cultural ethos into another, as I did, and emerge embracing them both demands more of a man than any armed struggle. For here is the genuinely conflict by which we move into manhood and maturity. For unless we know how to embrace the other we are not men and our nationhood is wilful and adolescent. Those who struggle through turbulent Jordan irrigate have gone beyond the glib definitions of politics or religion. The rest remain standing on either bank firing guns at one another. I had had enough of gun-fire, the rhetoric of hate and redundant ideologies. Brian Keenan An Evil Cradling (p16)IntroductionIn telling the story of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland, I want to employ 3 interweaving narratives personal, organisational and societal. The organisational spans the period from May 1998 to the present (No vember 2003), as does much of the societal - though I will touch on round historical and more recent events and developments to illustrate this story. I approach the subject as a participant, a practitioner and one who has invested large chunks of my life in pursuit of more humane, democratic and life-enhancing ways of living in what has been a brutal and stunting place.

Philosophy as a Contributor to Well-Being :: Paideia Philosophers Essays

Philosophy as a Contributor to Well-BeingABSTRACT In this essay, I sketch five complementary arnas of concern are set forth as candidates for a cogent contemporary theory of paideia. First, a searching, goal setting form of reflection is central to paideia today plane as it was in Hellenistic times. A second contributor to paideia is critical reflection. But, third, reasoning is also connected to embodied activity through feeling. Thus, sensitivity to existential meaning helps people determine what they really want and believe, and it also joins them to the souls, things, and events that matter most to them. Fourth, use of the moral point of view safeguards individuals against wallowing in mere intemperateness heedless of the welfare of others or of the world as a whole. Finally, only by being open to the complex challenges of the world can a person be receptive to the mysterious dimension of life and discern ultimate priorities. I claim that persons guiding themselves by the fi ve-leveled notion of paideia articulated here lead again experience the power of philosophical system to confer well-being upon themselves and the world. The main theme of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, Paideia Philosophy Educating Humanity, challenges philosophers to assess what impact philosophy is having and should be having in the world today. The use in the title of the classical term paideia suggests that conference organizers believe that philosophy should have both an beneficial and a coarse impact. For implicit in the notion of paideia is the idea that philosophy is a boon bestowing enterprise in enlightening persons, it improves their well-being. The breadth of impact is suggested by this explanation of paideia from Websters Third New International Dictionary The training of the physical and mental faculties in such a way as to produce a broad enlightened mature outlook harmoniously combined with maximum cultural development. I submit that this classical n otion remains a worthy apotheosis expressive of the gifts philosophy can bring humanity. Paideia is cognate to notions of education found in Asian philosophy. Philosophy practiced in the spirit of paideia can thence be a contributor to human well-being.However, the world today is a vastly different place than the classical world in which the notion of paideia took root. A challenge facing any interpreter of paideia now is to locate considerations which have arisen in the course of philosophical history which deserve to be incorporated into a contemporary theory of paideia.

Metaphysics Essay -- Philosophy Reality Empiricism Essays

Metaphysics Metaphysics can be defined as an attempt to comprehend the basic characteristics of reality. It is in circumstance so basic that it is all inclusive, whether something is observable or not. It answers questions of what things must be like in order to exist and how to differentiate from things that run throughm real however are not. A common thought is that reality is defined as what we can detect from our five sensory facultys. This type of philosophy is called empiricism, which is the idea that all companionship comes from our senses. An empiricist must therefore believe that what we can see, touch, taste, smell, and hear must be real and that if we can not in fact see, touch, taste, smell, or hear something, it is emphatically not real. However, this is a problem because there are things that are real that cannot be detected by our senses. Feelings and thoughts can not be detected, so tally to a true empiricist, they must not be real. Another example that is liste d in the textbook is the laws of gravity (Stewart 84). This is something that is in fact proven and we can see the effects of it, but we can not see gravity itself. Once again, this would not be considered to be real. However, there are certain things that some hatful consider to be real, and others consider them not to be. This typically comes into play when discussing religion. Some people consider God to be real although they can not sense Him and others say that He is not real, possibly because of the fact that they can no...

Global Warming Essays -- Environment Global Warming Climate Change

Global WarmingClimate change is neither rising nor unusual. Throughout the history of the earth, the average surface temperature, climate and greenhouse gas concentrations have changed, sometimes gradually another(prenominal) times quite sharply. During the knightly 10,000 age the earth has been in an interglacial period with a fairly stable climate, surface temperature, and greenhouse gas concentration1. The task that has arisen in recent times is when scientists analyze the past 150 years, especially the last 50. Scientists have found an increased greenhouse gas concentration, making the 20th century the hottest in the last 10,000 years.Although the earth has undergone bimestrial changes known as global cooling and global heating plant, todays global warming is unique, due to serviceman influences. The greenhouse effect is essentially gasses in the atm trapping heat, rather like a car window does in the summer. The major heat trapping gasses found in the atmosphere ar CO2 and water vapor- which are found in large quantity, 03(ozone), ch4(methane), and N2O(nitrous oxide)-which are better heat trappers but found in smaller quantity, CFCs and PFCs- which are very potent and destroy ozone. The rapid elevation of these gasses in the past fifty years have been the cause for concern of scientists business it a global warming problem.Global warming is a natural process as well as a human assisted process. solar flares and sunspots along with natural elevation of greenhouse gasses due to volcanic activety are the natural causes for global warming. Dr. Judy Lean, a leading astrophysicist, looked at global warming trends from 1860 to the comprise day. Her research has found from 1860 to 1970, global warming was largely due to natural sources. But from 1970 to the present natural sources accounted for only one-third the increase while human influence accounted for the remaining two-thirds of the increased greenhouse effect. The increase in greenh ouse gasses from human sources comes from a variety of things. Elevated Co2 levels, which have been increasing at a rate of 0.5% per year, largely come from the burning of fogey fuels(70-75%), especially coal. Deforestation and plant burning account for the remainder. Increased Methane and Nitrous oxide in the atmosphere are mostly due to agriculture rice patties, cattle, termites and decomposition of dead... ...ns in order to stop the increase. In order to slow the increase, the efficient use of fossil fuels must be adapted. Natural gas gives off very little co2 and methane if burned properly. Deforestation must also be stopped in order to give natural co2 scrubbers, plants, a chance to aid in the process. Governmental programs have also been implemented. A carbon tax has been considered along with the passing of the 1990 Clean Air Act, aimed at lowering emissions and cleaning air pollution. On a world wide scale, the Kyoto Accord in 1997, in which 159 nations concord t o work together to decrease Co2 emissions by 5.5% by 2012. The United States agreed, since it accounts for 25% of the worlds total emissions by 1990 figures, to cut its emissions by 7%.Global warming is still a major issue in world and U.S. politics. Conservatives argue for more market-orientated solutions, resulting in the imposition of taxes, resulting in higher prices for environment polluting goods. Liberals on the other hand advocate stiffer industry regulation and more direct controls. Any action taken, whatever the ideology, can only help to solve an increasing problem but at what cost to the consumer?

Power of Religion in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay

The Power of Religion in trick Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbecks epic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, chronicles the struggles of the Joads as they join the thousands of fellow Okies in a mass migration westward. The Joads reluctantly leave behind their Oklahoma farm in search of work and food in California. While Steinbeck writes profoundly and emotionally about the political problems of the capital Depression, his characters also show evidence of a deep concern with spirituality. When they feel hopeless and are uncertain about their immediate future, their concentration on godliness dwindles. On the other hand, when they leave their home, the Joads regain spiritual faith they have something to live for California. Once they arrive and find only more difficulties, they lose their grit that better things are ahead of them and gravitate back towards thinking politically. However, they finally return to the source of their original faith--religion-- at their most desperate time. One of the initiatory characters Steinbeck introduces (after Tom Joad) is the former preacher Jim Casy, who questions his own faith in his initial conversation with Tom Aint got the call to preach no more. Got a lot of sinful idears-but they reckon kinda sensibleThe sperits strong in me, ony it aint the sameHere I got the sperit sometimes an nonhin to preach about. I got the call to lead the people, an no place to lead em (Steinbeck 20-21). His skepticism precludes him from preaching. He be quiet recognizes the importance of his religion, but he is no longer sure of its role in the times of hopelessness. Casy could not preach when neither he nor those to whom he preached had a purpose. When guided by a goal, though, he pro... ...gles with their own faith in the midst of hunger, poverty, homelessness and loss of family are enlightening, and can inspire people who are not in that terrible situation to reconsider themselves. Work CitedSteinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York Penguin Books, 1998.Works ConsultedConder, John J. Steinbeck and Natures Self The Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck, Modern Critical Views. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 125-140.French, Warren. John Steinbeck. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1975.Levant, Howard. The Fully Matured Art The Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck, Modern Critical Views. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 35-62.Lojek, Helen. Jim Casy Politico of the New Jerusalem. Steinbeck Quarterly, Winter-Spring 1982. 30-37.The New American Bible, Gospel of John. 2334. New York The Catholic Press, 1976.

Power of Religion in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay

The Power of Religion in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbecks epic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, chronicles the struggles of the Joads as they join the thousands of fellow Okies in a mass migration westward. The Joads reluctantly leave behind their Oklahoma farm in search of work and food in California. While Steinbeck writes profoundly and emotionally slightly the political problems of the Great Depression, his characters also show evidence of a deep concern with spirituality. When they feel hopeless and are uncertain about their immediate future, their niggardliness on religion dwindles. On the other hand, when they leave their home, the Joads regain spiritual faith they have something to live for California. Once they arrive and find only more difficulties, they lose their sense that better things are ahead of them and gravitate back towards thinking politically. However, they finally return to the source of their original faith--religion-- at their most larger-th an-life time. One of the first characters Steinbeck introduces (after Tom Joad) is the former preacher Jim Casy, who questions his own faith in his initial conversation with Tom Aint got the call to preach no more. Got a grant of sinful idears-but they seem kinda sensibleThe sperits strong in me, ony it aint the sameHere I got the sperit sometimes an nothin to preach about. I got the call to lead the peck, an no place to lead em (Steinbeck 20-21). His misgiving precludes him from preaching. He still recognizes the importance of his religion, but he is no longer sure of its role in the times of hopelessness. Casy could not preach when neither he nor those to whom he preached had a purpose. When guided by a goal, though, he pro... ...gles with their own faith in the midst of hunger, poverty, homelessness and loss of family are enlightening, and can inspire people who are not in that terrible situation to reconsider themselves. Work CitedSteinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. per tly York Penguin Books, 1998.Works ConsultedConder, John J. Steinbeck and Natures Self The Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck, Modern Critical Views. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 125-140.French, Warren. John Steinbeck. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1975.Levant, Howard. The Fully Matured Art The Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck, Modern Critical Views. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 35-62.Lojek, Helen. Jim Casy Politico of the New Jerusalem. Steinbeck Quarterly, Winter-Spring 1982. 30-37.The New American Bible, Gospel of John. 2334. New York The Catholic Press, 1976.

How Life Was Growing Up Essay

Being the youngest sibling of three has always been hard on me. I was the only girl and growing up with my two brothers has always had its d professfalls. I not only had to be around my brothers at all prison terms, I was in addition surrounded by too many male cousins. Quite frankly, I can count how many female cousins I have in matchless hand. It is a real shame what a girl had to do just to be one of the guys. I was seven years old at the time and I still remember what happened like it was just yesterday. For the summer break my brothers and I along with our cousins stayed with our grandp atomic number 18nts.My grandparents own acres and acres of land in the Philippines. twenty-four hours by day we did nothing but run around the field, tackled each other, scared off the animals, and climbed trees. One summer day, we were playing tag and two of my cousins mentioned that they were get bored. We then started playing truth or dare. Everything was going smoothly until I was dared to climb the highest tree my grandparents had. I was dared to climb the tree to picked fruits for everyone. Without thinking about it, I climbed the tree so fast with confidence I thought I was a super girl.However, what they did not know was I was scared of heights. I was onerous my best to hide my fear, but as I looked down the estate, I started screaming for help. I watched my cousins along with my brothers laughed so hard few tears were approaching down the side of their eyes. I then started crying out for help. Eventually one of my brothers came to my rescue. However as I was going down, one of my feet slipped. As I tried grabbing on to something for support, my life flashed before my eyes. As I was falling, nothing but grasp for air was the only sound you could hear.I fell onto the ground twelve feet high and fracture my forearm. It has been 18 years since the incident happened. Until this day, the memory of how I broke my arm still lives on through gathering with my famili es. As an adult, we still tend to make silly decision just to fit in. Whether it is done at work, around new people, around in-laws, and even around your own family, impressions are still a great deal for every single individual. No matter how young or old you may be, silly actions are bound to happen.

Image of Filipino Women Essay

Like in Estrella Alfons Magnificence she illustrated that Filipino women argon tough when it is for her children while Lumnay was real weak and couldnt accept her husbands marriage to another woman. . Filipino women could stand and hold firm on her virtues and ideals. No matter what the consequences ar, they stand for what is right. Sometimes they are mocked and insulted because of their ideals. But these women, like Miss Noel stood determined to continue what she has started and what she was fighting for.Esperanza is also a woman of virtue. She despises quiescency with a man to whom youre not married. Some Filipino women are very innocent when it comes to hardships, emotions or other things surrounding them. Majority of these women were born or they belonged to middle class family. They havent experienced difficulties while growing up. While some women are oblivious to difficulties and hardships, some are introduced to it a very young age. They sacrificed their happiness for th e sake of their family and loved ones.They think of everything as theyre responsibility and it affects their way of thinking, their social life and even their marital life. Filipino women are generous and very caring. They support their family through thick and thin. They will never let their family down especially when it comes to children. They are also very sweet and understanding, Filipinas are also very jealous, they are very possessive not only on the material things tho also with their loved ones, especially the mothers.There are also this conservative God-fearing Filipinas. They have principles and wont go against it. There are many more character traits a Filipina could have, but any(prenominal) the point is, Filipinas are raised differently and you could see it by the way they talk or move. Filipino women may look independent and wise but still, they need to feel deserve to be respected and cared for. They need to be loved and feel loved.

Euripedes Essay

The beginnings of literature are sowed in myths. They reflect the preoccupations of the myths celebrate the primal human emotions worry love, hate, informal desires, reproduction and heroism, about others are equally horrendous dealing with some heinous crimes like murder and rape. No matter what aspect of life do they reflect it is their popularity that makes them popular in various cultures and times? The myth of Inos is such an example. The legend of Inos dates back many centuries before Christ to ancient capital of Italy and Greece.According to the legend, Inos, the daughter of Cadmus is married by Athama, King of pre historic Minyans in the ancient Boeotian city of Orchomenus. King Athama falls in love with the straightforward beauty of Inos and neglects his own wife, Nephele, who disappears in anger. They have ii sons, Laerchus and Melicertes . Inos also nurses Dionysus, thus incurs the wrath of Hera, the wife of Zeus. Inos is later driven mad and in her madness kills he rself and her two sons. She is later worshipped by ancient Greeks as Leucothea, the White Goddess.The legend of Inos is found in different parts of world with slight variations. Euripides one of the long giants of Greek tragedy was perhaps the first who used the legend of Inos in his tragedy Medea, when he composed it in 480 B. C. His tragedy complemented to the myth of Inos so intimately it became more popularly known as the legend of Medea. While in love with Jason, Euripides Medea helps him steal the golden fleece from her father, King Aeechis of Colchis. Thus, betraying her own clan. She is later bedraggled by her husband, who leaves her to marry Creusa, daughter of Creon, king of Corinth.In despair Medea kills herself and her two sons. She however, goes undisciplined and escapes in the dragon chariot. She takes refuge with king Aegeus of Athens. She later marries Achilles in the hellhole and becomes immortal. Medea therefore, becomes the heroin of the tragedy, whereas, its her husband who suffers for betraying his wife. The legend of Medea, represents the cultural conflicts, racism and gender prejudices working on the individual lives of the characters. The employment of these phenomena in the evolution and degeneration of the characters, makes the legend universal in its appeal.It is for this reason that even in the twentyfirst century, writers incorporated the myth in the modern characters as in Wide Sargasso Sea by dungaree Rhys. Set between the characters of the Carribean and England, Wide Sargasso Sea emphsise the above mentioned phenomena working on its individual characters. The novel is written in the line modern post colonial settings. Immediately after the emancipation of the Carribean blacks. It narrates the story of Anoinette later renamed as Bertha, belonging to dominica, a city of British owned Jamaica. She is married to an English man.It is lastly this relationship that derives young and innocent Annoinette to a mad woman Bertha, who later on commits suicide. The story narrates how the cultural, racial and gender prejudices makes individuals vulnerable. The novel is often seen as an interpretation of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre written in 1886, with the selfsame(prenominal) story outline, however, the real source dates back to the legend of Medea or more precisely the myth of Inos. Like medea, she marries a foreigner, and is later exploited by him for her racial inferiority and gender bias. Euripedes medea is an enchantress.Her weakness as a woman is exposed when exploited by her husband. She, however, comes out as a resolute and vindictive person. She is portrayed as strong and completely in control of her self. Till the end when she kills her kids, she is contemplative and logically derives herself to commit their murder. Whereas, Rhyss Bertha is doomed to her madness by the social as well as biological factors. The novel seems more of an approach that how the social factors catalyses the biological desease s. Her death, however, gives her the same walk on air that Medea enjoyed over her husband.For Rochester, she remained his property even in her madness. He says towards the end, even though she is mad, she is mine. This possessiveness is given away by her through her death. Just as Medea escapes unpunished in a dragon chariot before her husbands eyes. It is interesting to note that how a twentyfirst century african woman writer incorporates the same myth used by the Greek tragedian of fifth century Before Christ. A deeper study regarding the history of the myth will unfold that how the myth of Inos undergoes different versions through out centuries and claims its authority in various cultures.After Euripedes, Publius Ovidius Naso, the roman type poet of 49 B. C. used the story in his own work which influenced Lucius Anneus Seneca the famous Hispano- Roman tragedian of 4 century B. C. at Corduba (Cordoba). Scholars believe that Seneca might have brought the original legend of Inos to Spain thorugh his own intellectual influence. However, the inscriptions on the stones at Maikop, 56 miles east of the disgraceful Sea near Colchis, reveal the story of Jason and his Argonauts. According to the legend of Medea, Jason and his Argonauts travel to Colchis and it is there that he meets Medea.It seemed through the amazing discovery, that the whole legend or some parts of the legend might be true. The pheonicians of the 12th to 8th centuries before Christ, then present at colchis a region of the Western Georgian collective Soviet Republics, are supposed to transport the legend to Spain later when they themselves settled in the Iberian peninsula. It is through Spain that the legend passed on to Africa and from there to America along with slave trade. It is exceptionally popular with the Afro- Americans, who imagine her to be in real, wandering in dark forests and shrieking.Toni Morrison, another of the celebrated Afro- American writer draws a like wise figure of a phanto m in her novel Beloved. In whatever version the legend of Medea appear, it projects very effectively the apparent happiness of the male sex over female, whereas, it is the weaker sex that despise the yolk of her stronger counter part and sets themselves free in the last analysis. Therefore, the story becomes one of betrayal, vengeance and triumph. It is the ultimate triumph of the weak over the strong that the story remains a favourite with the writers and readers alike especially by the women writers in patriarchal societies.

Importance of Pakistan Location Essay

Geo strategical means the im airance of a rural or a share as by virtue of its geographical location. Geo political is defined as, stressing the influence of geographic factors on the present power, international conduct and advantages it derives from its location. Stephen Cohn describes this importance While history has been pitiless to Pakistan, its geography has been its prominentest benefit. It has resource rich area in the north- double-u, people rich in the north- eastside. Pakistan is a route for transportation, and a depend line kingdom against terrorism.Importance of Pakistan LocationLocation of PakistanPakistan is regain between 23 degrees.30 North to 37 degrees North Latitude and 61 degrees East to 77 degrees East Longitude. china lies in the north of Pakistan while Afghanistan and Iran are in the due west of it. India lies in the East and in the South is Arabian Sea.The Importance of LocationThe location of Pakistan is not only unique in the knowledge base but of special importance in South Asia. Pakistan links the east with the west. Some important neighbouring countries of Pakistan are as under. chinawareThere is 600 km long territory of Pakistan along the wall of China. Both countries pass on political, cultural and trade relations with each other. There is a close cooperation between the two countries in heavy machine industry and many other departments. Silk, cloth, machines etc. are imported from China.IndiaIndia is a Hindu country in the East of Pakistan. There is a common border of 1600 kilometre in between these countries. Both countries are trying to solve their problems including Kashmir. Due to this enmity, wars of 1948, 1965 and 1971 have been fought between the two countries. In the last war, our one wing East Pakistan got separated from us due to this enmity. India is always busy in conspiracy by the cooperation of a super power despite of knowing that it is better for the wel furthermoste of both countries to developplea sant terms .Fifteen crore Islamics live in India. Their protection is besides a big problem. central Asian Islamic CountriesPakistan has religious, cultural and economic relation with the Central Asian Islamic Countries. Pakistan is the only country that provides them the nearest sea route and transport facilities. These countries lie in the North West of the Pakistan.AfghanistanAfghanistan is situated to the West of Pakistan. When the English got the control of sub-continent, according to a pact with Afghanistan in 1893, the persistent border between the two countries was marked which is called Durand Line. This line is about 2240 kilometers long with the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both countries have old religious, cultural and trade terms.IranTo the West of Pakistan is the border of Iran along province of Balochistan. It is our Islamic brother country. Iran was the first country which recognized the existence of Pakistan in 1947. Iran has made political and trad e pacts known as R.C.D. Its name is E.C.O which means Discipline for Economic Cooperation. Iran openly befriended Pakistan during the wars of 1965 and 1971. Pakistan proves its fri end upship with Iran in every hour of need. Islamic revolution has come in Iran by the end of kingship. It has also better relations with Pakistan.Trade through Arabian SeaArabian Sea is in Indian Ocean. Most of the trade between east and west is done through Indian Ocean. Pakistan through Arabian Sea is linked with the Muslims Countries of Persian Gulf. All of them are rich in oil. In Karachi bin Qasim and Gwader are important seaports of Pakistan. In this respect South-East Asian Muslim countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Burunai, Darussalam) and South Asian Muslim countries (Bangladesh, Maldives and SriLanka) are important.Strategic Importance of PakistanProximity of great powersPakistan is located at the junction of great powers. In its neighbors oneworld power Russia and the other emerging power china l ies. any alliance among world powers enhances its significance. This factor has been utilized by Pakistan after 9/11. Security and business are two main US interests in the region while Pakistan is playing a front line role in the war against terrorism. Apart from this US interest in the region to contain the festering china, nuclear Iran, terrorist Afghanistan and to benefit from the market of India.Today the political scenario of the region is tinged with preemption policy and US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. Irans nuclear program, Indias geopolitical muscles (new strategic deal with US) to gain hegemony and to counter the rise of China. Which has earned all the qualities to change unipolar world into bipolar world. In all these issues, Pakistan is directly or indirectly involved especially after al-Qaeda operations. The American think tank has repeatedly accepted that war against terrorism could never be won without the help of Pakistan.Gateway to Central Asia-(oil and ener gy game)Central Asia is the center stage of new Great games. Western quest for resources- oil and energy resources in the central Asia. subsequently USSR decline, new quest started which is as manifested by politics of oil. Pakistan is located very close to the oil rich Middle Eastern countries. The belt started from Iran and extended to Saudi-Arabian Arabia. Thus, Pakistan can influence shipment of oil. Iran is struggling to export its surplus gas and oil to eastern countries, Qatar, Pakistan and Turkmenistan pipeline projects highlight the position. In the energy scarce world, Pakistan is located in the hub of energy rich countries i-e Iran and Afghanistan both are energy abundant while India and china are lacking.China finds way to Indian Ocean and Arabian sea through Karakoram highway, Significance as a Transit economyPakistan has the potential to develop transit economy on account is its strategic location, unload locked Afghanistan now at the phase of reconstruction finds it s ways through Pakistan. China with its fastest economy harvest-feast rate of 9% us developing southern provinces because its own part is 4500 km away from Sinkiang but Gwader is 2500 km away. Moreover, Pakistan offers central Asian regions the shortest route of 2600 km as compared to Iran 4500 km or turkey 5000 km. gwader port with its deep watersattracts the trade ships of china, CAR and south east Asian countries., also the coastal belt of Balochistan can provide outlet to chinas western provinces to have access to middles eastern markets with the phylogeny of coastal highways and motorways.Important link in the chain of Muslim countriesIf we look at the map of Muslim countries, Pakistan occupies a central location. Towards west of Iran, china extends to North Africa. Thus it can actively participate in the activities of Muslim world-economic development, transport of resources and above all fight terrorism. Only Muslim country with nuclear capabilityIn the region Pakistan is the only Muslim country having nuclear capability which has great influence on the political, socio-economic activities in the region and the maintenance of status quo in the region.Chinas link to the Middle EastPakistan is the only direct and shortest link between China and the Middle East. Imagine the impact of China on the Middle East, if this link is fully functional. Gwadar carriage located in proximity of Arabian Gulf and Central Asian Republics provide it unique opportunity to serve both. Pakistan needs to capitalize on them through better diplomatic ties with Arab states and CARs. It is therefore anticipated that oil militia and other resources of CARs would gradually become the focus of world attention in coming years.However, in case of exports to and from CARs a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is must. The port provide also help in promoting trade with Gulf States possessing 63% of worlds oil reserves and result prove instrumental in promoting trans-shipment fundament ally of containerized cargo besides unlocking the development potential for hinter undercoat. The most important factor that makes Gawadar Port strategically unique is the location with respect to other major ports in the region, which are all located on the other side of the sea. Gwadar port being towards north can easily provide services and facilities to CARs, Afghanistan and China.Reduce Indian hegemony in the Arabian Sea and Indian OceanIndia has a shared interests with the U.S. and NATO in the subjection of Pakistan. Pakistan would cease to be a client state of the U.S. or a manageable state, because of a presumable revolution that would occur in the scenario of a broader war in the Middle East against Iran or a far larger Eurasian war involving China and Russia. Nuclear weapons in the hands of such a revolutionary government in Islamabad would be a threat to Indian national security, NATO operations in Afghanistan, and Israel. It is in the shared interests of the U.S., NATO, Israel, and India to neutralize such a strategic and tactical threat from emerging in Pakistan.This is why NATO has underpinned the objective of balkanizing Pakistan and why the U.S. has talked about taking over Pakistani nuclear facilities via the U.S. military. The subjection of Pakistan is also territorially and militarily to the advantage of New Delhi, because it would pass off a rival and allow India to gain territory that in the view of many Indians was lost with the partition of India in 1947.Economic Significance of Gwadar PortGwadar Port is Pakistans largest infrastructural project since independence. Gwadar Deep Seaport is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, close to the important Straits of Hormuz, through which more than 13 one million million million barrels of oil passes daily. Ever since the construction of Gwadar deep seaport has been undertaken, it is an opportunity for the people of Balochistan to improve the living conditions in their province. Neigh bouring countries are very much concerned in investing in Gwadar especially China and has already spent $248 million in its construction. The geographical and strategic location makes the Gwadar Deep Seaport at a much advantageous position than other competing ports, like Rashid and Jebel Ali ports of Dubai, Salalah Port of Oman, Bandar Abbas and Chahbahar ports of Iran. 95% trade takes place through sea in Pakistan. Karachi port is use 68% whereas Port Qasim takes care of 32% of the sea borne trade.The projected rise in total trade by the year 2015 is 91 million tons. This will increase shipping activity phenomenally at the existing port. Gwadar will help Pakistan to monitor the Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) originating from the Persian Gulf and bottle do at Strait of Hormuz. Both military and economic power now depends upon oil. It is expected that Gwadar city infuture would turn into an international hub of industrial and commercial-gradeized activity, which would not o nly play a key role in the economic development of Balochistan, but also the entire country. To facilitate rapid commercial and economic development, Gwadar will be declared a special economic zone for a certain period.The length of this period has not yet been determined. The SEZ is likely to cover the city of Gwadar and the industrial areas currently planned and foreseen. The specific incentives-regime is likely to include general tax-holidays, no VAT and generous incentives pertaining to business ownership and physical exercise of foreigners. The main purpose of this concept is to accelerate economic development and investments, both foreign and local, in general. This in turn will spur industrial development and port traffic throughput assume. It would also contribute more rapidly to employment creation and uplifting of the Gwadar district and of Balochistan.Trade Significance of Pakistan with Land Locked CountriesPakistann is located in the heart of three vital regions South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia and thus provides the shortest access to the sea for all landlocked countries of Central Asia besides Western China. It is a fast emerging junction for multiple corridors of cooperation between Afghan, China and CAR involving energy, trade and transportation. Communication and trade correlation between South, Central and West Asia fleeting through Pakistan has transformed our country into an economic center, giving a boost to inter-regional economic activity. Geographically bordered by Iran on the west, Afghanistan on the northwest, China on the northeast, and Arabian Sea lying in the south has promoted the multi-lateral trade with neighboring countries effectively from the last decades.Pakistan is blessed with three major seaports, i.e., Karachi port, Qasim Port and Gwadar port, along with Arabian Sea, which are the main passageway for the transportation via sea to Pakistan also it borders with Afghanistan and China. Geographically lack of a common border with any Central Asian state is one of the primary impediments to accessing the region. Tajikistan, which has borders with Afghanistan and China, is the most strategically located country from Pakistans standpoint. Wakhan Corridor, an area in far northeastern Afghanistan that connects Afghanistan and China, could be the most convenient land link between Pakistan and Tajikistan.Influence of U.S.A Invasion in Afghanistan on Trade of Pakistan The conflict and instability in Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks and their regional implications had very negative repercussions for the years following the US invasion of Afghanistan not only saw a huge influx of Afghan refugees across the border into Pakistan but also witnessed a sudden spike in the frequency and scale of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The cumulative impact of these developments adversely impacted the overall growth rate in all major sectors of the economy.Pakistan continues to pay a heavy price both in the e conomic and security terms due to this military post and a substantial portion of precious national resources both men and material, have been diverted to address the emerging security challenges for the last several years. This occurrence disrupted Pakistans trading activities which not only resulted in higher costs of business but also created disruptions in the production cycles, resulting in momentous delays in meeting the export orders around the globe. As a result, Pakistani products have gradually lost their market share to their competitors. Consequently, economic growth slowed down, demand for imports reduced with declined tax collection and inflows of foreign investment.ConclusionFrom a general strategic point of view, Pakistan location is very important. Pakistan is a junction of south Asia, west Asia and central Asia a way from resource efficient countries to resource deficient countries. The world is facing energy crises and terrorism. Pakistan is a route for transpo rtation and a front line state against terrorism. Moreover Pakistan has been traditionally ally of emerging economic giant china. So in the vague of any change in world politics, Pakistans geo-strategic significance would further be enhanced.SuggestionsPakistan geography has been its greates benefit. It has resource rich areas, and today Pakistanis are a spirited, modern and forward looking nation and it is undoubtedly no overstatement that educated and passionate and zealous people possesses the most lush mind in the world. What is needed is to justchannelize energies of people and provide them opportunities to shine themselves and proper use of resources thereby bringing a incredible change to the fortune of Pakistan.Referenceshttp//defence.pk/threads/geo-strategic-significance-of-pakistan.269246/ixzz3JhbDa5Ru https//www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140520173701-91576495-afghan-car-and-chinese-transit-trade-through-pakistani-ports http//aboutpak.blogspot.com/2012/05/importan ce-of-location-of-pakistan-in.html http//www.pakistanaffairs.pk/threads/13740-Geo-Strategic-Significance-of-Pakistan Dailytimes 03-Jun-2014 Pakistan-lost-RS 8264 billion in war on terror