OUR AMBASSADORS
Our Ambassadors are a diverse group of people like: artists, athletes, writers, veterans, lawyers, journalists, advocates, entrepreneurs, students, parents of special needs children and very active members of the community of people with disabilities. They are leaders in their industry who want to make cross-sectional services more accessible. They are effective change-makers who help to drive improvements in the accessibility and quality of services and facilities for disabled people. They lead change and promote best practice from within. Working to promote accessibility, inclusivity, and empowerment of disability identity. The group promotes disability as a valued aspect of diversity through outreach efforts.
While the entertainment industry has made strides toward inclusivity over the last few years, onscreen representation for people with disabilities is still incredibly low. However, there are many industry professionals joining the call for more and better representation of people with disabilities. To mark the unveiling of this year’s list of participants, FOP meets three talented performers who made the cut and are set for big things.
Mr. Ali Baba Khan
A band aims to bring the poetic message of Ghani Khan to Pakistan. A rising vocalist was the first to sing Ghani Khan’s celebrated poems and introduced ‘Pure Sufi Rock Band’, his music group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This band comprising Ali Baba Khan, Jerry Michael, Joel Michael, Ustad Mohsin, Qazi Umar and Jalal Khan registered impact on the participants. Ali got his telecommunications engineering degree from the City University of Science and Information Technology in Peshawar.
Earlier on, writers like Hamza Shinwari, Ghani Khan Baba and Saadullah Jan Burq wrote songs with deeply inspiring lyrics. Now, however, an average lyricist has forgotten the importance of meaningful and ethical lyrics and the fact that they have a responsibility towards society. While exactly portraying a wholesome or meaningful image of society, Mr. Ali Baba Khan is also a Social Inclusion Ambassador of Friends of Paraplegics and working to promote social inclusion of person with disabilities. Working to promote accessibility, inclusivity, and empowerment of disability identity. He believes to promotes disability as a valued aspect of diversity through outreach efforts.
Ms. Sofia Kaif
Representation isn’t just a numbers game, though — accurate portrayals of characters working for disabilities are key to good representation. Born on, Sofia Kaif hails from, Pakistan. Sofia Kaif is considered as one of the prime influencers in Pakistan and has collaborated with several organizations.
“In times of need, there are certain people who stand up and blaze a trail, and that’s what Sofia did” Of course, there’s been a long history in film and TV of actors without disabilities portraying characters with disabilities, but Sofia believes there’s been a shift. “In the last years or so, it has seemed like we’re moving forward. We’re getting more people, and not just those with disabilities, calling out instances when people without disabilities are being cast in disabled roles. She Believes they are effective change-makers who can also contribute to drive improvements in the accessibility and quality of services and facilities for disabled people. They lead change and promote best practice from within.
Ms. Zainab Barkat
Zainab Barkat is a terrific wheelchair Table Tennis player of Pakistan, who shown incredible performance in National events through her hard work and brilliant skill. She born on 18th August, 1990 in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She is the social inclusion ambassador of Friends of Paraplegics. Read More.