Many international students at HSRW come from Pakistan – a good reason to engage more closely with that country’s culture, economy and politics here in Kleve. In public debates, Pakistan is often portrayed solely as a trouble spot: the Taliban, Kashmir, nuclear weapons, Islamism. But what insights does a German teacher gain from extended teaching placements there? Why is Pakistan more important to Germany and the EU than many realise? And what experiences from intercultural dialogue would he like to share?
Pejo Boeck is a Kleve school leaver and a long-serving teacher at vocational schools in North Rhine-Westphalia; he was politically active, campaigning against the Vietnam War and in the Chile solidarity movement, amongst other causes, which resulted in a five-year ban on practising his profession. Since 2016, he has been working as a lecturer on intercultural exchange programmes in Pakistan. He maintains close friendships with local universities and students, whom he regularly hosts at his home in Bielefeld.