PESHAWAR: Young people from different parts of the country gathered at the provincial metropolis for a seven-day youth festival that provided them with a platform to learn new skills, showcase their talent and share ideas.
This year, the title of the event was Future Verse 2026. The festival was held at TMUC Peshawar under the auspices of KP Directorate of Youth Affairs in collaboration with The Order of Pen (TOOP). The seven-day festival attracted young people from different parts of the country with significant participation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the newly merged districts. Women also participated in large numbers in training sessions, competitions, workshops and other activities.
The event was divided into five thematic areas — FounderVerse, TechVerse, MindVerse, JusticeVerse and StyleVerse — covering entrepreneurship, technology, personality development, justice, fashion and creative arts. Sessions on entrepreneurship and design thinking allowed participants to develop ideas and explore different aspects of starting and growing ventures. Technology activities included robotics and other emerging fields, while the creative streams focused on fashion, art and related disciplines.
The programme also featured exhibitions and competitions where participants presented their work and interacted with mentors and professionals from different fields. For many participants, the festival provided an opportunity to meet young people from other districts and regions and gain exposure to skills and areas not always available through formal education.
Addressing the festival, Director Youth Affairs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abbas Khan Afridi said youth programmes should focus not only on lectures but also on practical exposure and interaction. “A young person needs opportunities to test ideas, learn from others and understand how skills are applied in the real world,” he said, adding that the Future Verse programme provided young people with such opportunities.
He said the participation of women was encouraging and expressed hope that their representation would grow further in future programmes. Abbas Afridi said the Directorate would continue working on initiatives that connect young people with skills, mentors and opportunities in emerging fields.
The seven-day programme highlighted the growing interest among young people in technology, business and creative fields. By bringing these areas together under one platform, the festival sought to encourage participants to think creatively and make better use of their abilities.
The event in Peshawar concluded after a week of activities focused on learning, creativity, competition and interaction, giving participating youth an opportunity to return home with new skills, experiences and ideas.
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