Last week, as the halls of Shenyang echoed with voices from across the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nations, I found myself not just covering an international forum but witnessing a moment of quiet transformation.
The 2025 SCO Forum on People to People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities, held in the historic and industrious capital of Liaoning Province, wasn’t just another official event it was a powerful reminder that the heart of diplomacy beats strongest when it pulses through people, not podiums.
As China takes on the rotating chairmanship of the SCO, the focus on soft power, cultural connectivity, and civic cooperation could not have been more timely or more profound. Shen Yueyue’s keynote speech beautifully articulated this spirit, urging the member states to uphold openness, mutual learning, and unity. Her emphasis on building a “shared future” was more than a slogan it was an invitation to reimagine how countries connect through culture, cities, and shared values.
For me, as a journalist working on the front lines of international reporting, covering this forum live for Such News was both an honor and a responsibility. Our team gave special, exclusive coverage, with real time updates and in-depth commentary that captured the essence of what was unfolding not just in the main auditorium, but in the quieter corridors where real conversations took root.
After covering the IOM event earlier in China, this was yet another milestone during my stay a moment where my camera, pen, and voice became instruments of dialogue across borders.
I was fortunate to engage directly with several delegates ,diplomats, scholars, city administrators each offering not just analysis, but lived experience. These weren’t sterile policy discussions; these were living conversations about identity, heritage, and mutual growth.
What impressed me most was the foresight embedded in the two outcome documents the Consensus on People to People Exchange and the Shenyang Initiative. These are not mere agreements; they represent a new diplomatic vocabulary, where shared festivals, academic exchanges, youth dialogue, and city level partnerships become strategic tools of regional stability.
Looking back, I believe our coverage was not just timely, but impactful. From live hits to on-ground storytelling, we illuminated an event many might have overlookedand presented it with depth, balance, and cultural nuance. The messages resonated not just with policy wonks, but with audiences eager to understand China’s evolving role through a more human lens.
As I walked through the lantern lit lanes of Shenyang after a long day of reporting, I felt something rare a quiet conviction that amidst geopolitical noise, people to people friendship remains the most underappreciated, yet most powerful force in modern diplomacy.
This was not just a story I reported۔it was a story I lived.
Among the most touching moments at the forum was seeing the flags of all SCO member and observer countries proudly displayed in one frame a powerful visual of unity in diversity. I stood before the Pakistani flag with a heart full of love and pride. It reminded me of my roots, my responsibilities as a journalist, and the resilient spirit of my people. Pakistan is not just where I come from it is the soul of my identity. Then, with equal emotion, I turned to the Chinese flag my second home during these deeply enriching months. Standing there, I felt something profound: a sense of belonging, respect, and gratitude to a nation that embraced me with open arms.
站在中国国旗下，我真切感受到家的温暖和兄弟般的情谊。中国是我心中另 个归属。
Between those two flags stood not just me, but the living spirit of Pakistan China friendship deep, genuine, and unshakable.