Summary
- The two have announced Zindagi Trust’s annual fundraising dinner tour, scheduled to take place across six American cities between September 18 and 25, with the aim of rallying support from the Pakistani diaspora for one of the country’s most pressing challenges: quality public education.
- Speaking about the tour itself and what it would offer those who attend, Roy described it as an opportunity for supporters to understand the full picture of what Zindagi Trust has been doing on the ground.
- Zindagi Trust was founded by Roy with the mission of transforming Pakistan’s public school system, improving access to quality education for children who would otherwise have no alternative, and raising the professional standing of government school teachers across the country.
Singer, activist and philanthropist Shehzad Roy is heading to the United States next month, and this time he is bringing comedian and actor Tabish Hashmi along for the journey. The two have announced Zindagi Trust’s annual fundraising dinner tour, scheduled to take place across six American cities between September 18 and 25, with the aim of rallying support from the Pakistani diaspora for one of the country’s most pressing challenges: quality public education.
Roy shared the announcement through a video posted on his Instagram account, speaking with the urgency and conviction that has come to define his advocacy work over many years. He was direct about what the tour was trying to achieve and why the Pakistani diaspora’s involvement matters.
“That time is not far when people in Pakistan won’t have to beg for education, and parents will be able to send their children to government schools with confidence, knowing they will learn from the best local teachers,” Roy said. He also emphasised the structural reforms he believes are essential to getting there. “We also need proper licensing and qualifications for teachers,” he added.
Speaking about the tour itself and what it would offer those who attend, Roy described it as an opportunity for supporters to understand the full picture of what Zindagi Trust has been doing on the ground. “We are coming to share how the organisation is changing the paradigm for government schools and government teachers,” he said.
His invitation to the diaspora was direct and personal. “We will share everything that has been accomplished, what still needs to be done, and how each of you can play an integral part in this cause. So please be there,” he said.
Roy also explained his decision to bring Hashmi along as a companion for the tour, offering what is clearly both a personal and strategic reason. “He is a great entertainer and will bring happiness into your lives. The reason I am bringing him is because he truly believes in our cause,” he said. The combination of Roy’s advocacy record and Hashmi’s ability to connect with audiences through humour and warmth suggests an event format designed to be as engaging as it is purposeful.
The tour will take in Chicago, New Jersey, Washington, Dallas, Houston and San Francisco, covering a significant spread of cities with large Pakistani diaspora communities.
Zindagi Trust was founded by Roy with the mission of transforming Pakistan’s public school system, improving access to quality education for children who would otherwise have no alternative, and raising the professional standing of government school teachers across the country. Over the years, Roy has remained one of Pakistan’s most persistent and credible voices on children’s rights and education reform, using his platform as an artist to keep the conversation alive in ways that formal advocacy alone rarely manages.
The American tour represents an effort to extend that conversation beyond Pakistan’s borders and bring those who have left the country into a direct relationship with the work being done on the ground. For the communities in those six cities, September’s fundraising dinners will offer both an evening of entertainment and a meaningful opportunity to contribute to something real.
