In Pakistan, Lincoln Corners are partnerships between the United States and Pakistani public libraries, universities and community centers. The corners are a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the people of Pakistan and the United States. These spaces are named after Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America. They are a place where all Pakistani citizens are welcomed to access information of all kinds free of charge.
There are over 700 American Spaces in 169 countries. In Pakistan, we currently have 18 Lincoln Corners. With the opening of Lincoln Corner Lahore, students, professors, and other members of the community will have access to this space, and will be able to attend regularly scheduled programs on English language learning, Makerspace activities, EducationUSA advising, cultural programs, U.S. alumni engagements, and information about the United States.
Lincoln Corner Lahore is a partnership between the information Technology University and the U.S. Consulate General Lahore. This Corner will provide access to the latest, in-depth information about the United States, and will connect Americans and Pakistanis in engaging discussions on U.S. policy, society and values. Lincoln Corner Lahore will be more than a library. This will be a comfortable and safe venue for civil discourse, conversations between individuals with diverse views and perspectives – a practice at the heart of any strong democracy. This space will be a place for the community to come together to increase mutual understanding between Pakistanis and Americans, between scientists and artists, between old and young, between innovators and traditionalists. This Corner will be a location for civil society organizations to develop their proposed improvements for society and share their ideas with the public. This space will be a classroom for lectures and workshops to cultivate new ideas and develop new skills in a cooperative group atmosphere. This place will be a gallery for exhibiting art and music from American and Pakistani artists and musicians, generating conversations about common themes of humanity.
Resources Available At Corners:
A collection of printed materials on American culture and governance and a variety of general disciplines including English, entrepreneurship, technology, democracy, and civil society development.
A collection of American films and documentaries. Videos a re available for viewing at the corner.
U.S. Government Publications:
The latest U.S. government publications on a range of issues including democracy, foreign policy, human rights, economic development, women’s empowerment, youth, and American society and values.
TA range of 50 printed American magazines and academic journals covering current events, business, science, sports, and popular culture.
eLibraryUSA (Research and Education Resources:
On-site access for all visitors to dozens of academic and popular database in the eLibraryUSA electronic resources product. eLibraryUSA provides access to over 40,000 academic and professional journals, 20,000 ebooks, and 9,000 films and documentaries on the full range of topics. It also contains resources for children, for learning and teaching English, and for accessing U.S. government reports.
Besides all this Lincoln Corner will be conducting and hosting workshops on multiple topics, from adaptive leadership, to story telling, from women empowerment to communication skills and body language for children, from social awareness to moral imagination and a lot more. Besides these workshops Lincoln Corner is also forming collaborations with diff erent non-profits and is serving as a tech hub for diff erent startups.