Stephan goes to Karachi, Pakistan, a complex city – crumbling infrastructure, nonexistent public services, escalating population, extreme poverty on top of ethnic and religious violence, targeted killings, crime, and corruption are often a constant. Amidst this, he meets incredibly talented and passionate people working to uncover their city from its façade, and bring actions of change to light through simple innovation and creativity.
He meets and plays music with children at the Ida Rieu School & College for Blind and Deaf, one of the very few private institutions that offers academic, professional and boarding opportunities to deaf, dumb and blind community from all parts of society, and provides health care facilities.
Then, he visits The Aman Foundation that focuses on health and education opportunities for those without access. It offers one of a kind and unlike any other in the city, ambulance and a 24-hour call center services. AmanTech provides technical training, skills and access to jobs through placement in the formal market. Thousands of students at AmanTech join Stephan making signs for peace, unity, love, of their vision for Karachi, Pakistan, and the world, and for a future they want to see and live in.
borderless follows Stephan to a government school for boys in one of the poorest neighborhoods (a small fishing community by the beach), then run by Teach for Pakistan. Inspired primary school boys engaged with Stephan singing along “Muhabbat say duniya ravan hai davan hai” (Love Make The World Go Round) and learn about kids their age in Baghdad, where Said had previously visited.
Stephan speaks at the National Academy for the Performing Arts about the vision for borderless. He meets professors working to revive the practice of dying traditional musical instruments, and speaks with inspired young musicians and students who want to change the world through music.
borderless and Stephan host a unity concert #LightTheWorld Pakistan: Duniya Ko Roshan Karo, first of it’s kind in the city, and perhaps the country, at Port Grand, a beautiful public space, by the waterfront of the historic Native Jetty Bridge in Karachi. A digital backdrop exhibited photos and videos from the entire filming of borderless, and brought together the various people we met on the journey. The country’s beloved Qawwals Abu Mohamed and Brothers join Stephan on stage. The concert is attended by thousands – young and old – holding up their signs for peace, singing along to songs of unity, and standing together for a better future for their city and country.