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Pakistan: Go Green Movement

Categories: South Asia, Pakistan, Freedom of Speech, Technology, Youth

Do you have Pakistani friends on Face book [1] or Twitter [2]? If you do, chances are that they will have a display picture with the Pakistani flag as background. This is because of the “Go Green movement” [3]pioneered by Farhan Masood [4] and his team of volunteers from all over Pakistan, who are changing display pictures of Pakistani Twitter and Facebook users adding a Pakistan flag background. This burst of digital patriotism has been witnessed before the T20 cricket world cup as well, when Pakistani twitterers [5] took the hashtag [6] #Pakcricket to #4 in trending topics on Twitter using a campaign. This time they plan to do the same with #Pakistan on the 14th of August, Pakistan's Independence day.

go-green [7]

Adil Najam on Pakistaniat [8] comments on this movement:

I believe – and hope – that all these avatars going green are going green in the same spirit as us [9]. A spirit of inclusive national pride. And in that spirit I welcome the trend. I look forward to a green August 14 [10]. Not just in the color tonality of our avatars, but in our hearts and in our spirits!

Dr Awab Alvi at Teeth Maestro [11] expresses his pleasure:

Its exciting to see a very vibrant and motivated community of Pakistanis online, spreading from twitter to facebook and even the age old community on Orkut. Young energetic Pakistanis are doing their best to be the new face of Pakistan on the digital sphere

Pakfactor [12] extols the virtues of this campaign:

Recently the tweeters had taken over Twitter when Pakistan won first T20 world cup and the enthusiastic Pakistanis all over the world tweeted with #Pakcricket and made history in trending topics [13]. The same will be going to repeat again on this Independence Day when whole Pakistani nation will take over Social media again and spread the message of a resilient, calm and blessed Pakistan. Be positive with your attitude and comments about Pakistan and portray that image which the world is not ready to see from our side. We have to prove that we are united and we are proud Pakistanis.”

Farhan masood [4] says that “this movement should not be restricted to Pakistanis and expat Pakistanis only, but the friends of Pakistan should also join us in celebrating our independence”. If you wish to have your display pic changed, please email it to Greenkaro@gmail.com.