Pelican Fellowship Cohort 2
Bahawalpur, March 2023
Cohort Overview
After the founding cohort proved what was possible, Pelican Fellowship 2023 returned to Bahawalpur with sharper structure, a wider network, and a cohort ready to carry the mission forward.
Cohort 2 marked the fellowship’s transition from a first of its kind initiative to an established program built around a dedicated management team, experienced mentors, and a facilitation team drawn in part from the founding cohort itself.
Across an immersive multi-day experience, fellows engaged with leadership development, peace education, interfaith dialogue, and cultural exchange anchored by an expanded Diversity Tour through Bahawalpur’s most significant cultural landmarks: Noor Mahal, the Central Library, and the Bahawalpur Museum.
From First Attempt to Established Program.
Cohort 2 marked the fellowship’s transition from a first-of-its-kind initiative to an established program, built around a dedicated management team, experienced mentors, and a facilitation team drawn in part from the founding cohort itself.
Across an immersive multi-day experience, fellows engaged with leadership development, peace education, interfaith dialogue, and cultural exchange, anchored by an expanded Diversity Tour through Bahawalpur’s most significant cultural landmarks: Noor Mahal, the Central Library, and the Bahawalpur Museum.
Six Pillars of Cohort 2
A sharper, deeper framework, built on the lessons of the founding cohort and refined for the next generation of fellows.
Program Journey
A multi-day immersion in leadership, dialogue, and culture, tracked day by day.
Opening, Orientation & Foundations
The fellowship opened with a structured orientation introducing fellows to the cohort, the program framework, and one another, grounding everyone in the fellowship’s mission before the deeper work began.
Diversity Tour & Cultural Immersion
Day 2 took fellows beyond the classroom and into Bahawalpur itself, a structured cultural immersion through three of the city’s most significant landmarks. An expanded experience not offered in Cohort 1.
Bazm-e-Saqafat, Cultural Night
Following the model established in Cohort 1, fellows gathered for Bazm-e-Saqafat, a celebration of Pakistan’s regional cultures through music, performance, traditional dress, and shared storytelling.
Closing Ceremony
The fellowship closed with a formal ceremony recognizing each fellow’s completion of the program, and marking their entry into the Pelican Fellowship alumni network.
The Team Behind Cohort 2
Mentors, leaders, and facilitators who made the fellowship possible, a two-tier structure that reflects the program’s institutional maturity.
Cohort 1 Alumna
Cohort 1 Alumna
The Cohort 2 Class
The young leaders, students, and changemakers who made up Pelican Fellowship 2023, drawn from twenty-one cities and four provinces across Pakistan.
What Cohort 2 Achieved
Four results that confirmed the fellowship’s model, and strengthened its foundation for every cohort to come.
A Maturing Institutional Model
Cohort 2 introduced a formal management structure, mentors, program leadership, and a facilitation team, transforming the fellowship from a first-of-its-kind initiative into an established annual program.
A Working Alumni Pipeline
Returning fellows from Cohort 1 stepped into facilitation and leadership roles, proving the fellowship’s promise of long-term engagement and creating a sustainable model for future cohorts.
Expanded Cultural Engagement
By broadening the Diversity Tour to include Noor Mahal, the Central Library, and the Bahawalpur Museum, Cohort 2 made cultural literacy central to leadership formation in a way Cohort 1 hadn’t yet achieved.
A Stronger National Network
Cohort 2 expanded the Pelican Fellowship alumni network to a second generation of peacebuilders, extending the fellowship’s reach across more institutions, cities, and communities in Pakistan.
This Is What It Looks Like When a Fellowship Becomes an Institution.
If Cohort 1 was the proof that the Pelican Fellowship could work, Cohort 2 was the proof that it could last.
A new cohort. A real team. Returning alumni stepping into leadership. An expanded experience built on the lessons of the year before.
This is what it looks like when a youth fellowship becomes an institution, quietly, deliberately, one cohort at a time.