THE decay of societal values is getting more and more well-entrenched with time.

Intolerance is common. Even brawls can be witnessed at public places over trivial issues. Wherever you go, tragic apathy accompanies you. The people are worried aboutthe present and thefuture.Those who have earned through rightful means are afraid of extortionists and feel insecure.

Law and order is in a shambles. The people are listless andfrustrated to the core.

One of the major strings attached to all this is insignificant economic progress.

Industries are getting closed. Manufacturing is on a steady decline. Corruption is widespread. The conscience of the people does nothing when they embezzle the state money, or usurp the rights of others. We are a dead nation with a dead conscience, or perhaps we have drifted even more than that.

In such a situation there is a strong need to adopt the good moral practices, learning from other countries and cultures.

Pakistan can learn from samfundssind, a Danish concept which emphasises social-mindedness or community spirit.

It is helpful in promoting a positive social environment. It shows a collective sense of responsibilities that are related to the wellbeing of all the people in a society, encouraging individuals to act in ways that benefit the community in totality. It promotes unity and mutual support, and is concerned with paying importance to the needs of the community above personal interests, thereby leading to common good.

Samfundssind has two pillars, collective responsibility and community spirit, making people encouraged to take part in community service and local ingenuities.

Thus, it promotes social welfare, like clean up drives, educational programmes and health camps. It also integrates the values of social-mindedness in the education system. The children are taught the importance of empathy, cooperation and community service from a very tender age.

It also lays importance on fostering social evenhandedness, inclusivity andsupport for the relegated segments, hence ensuring that everyone`s needs are catered to and appropriately addressed. It gives importance to launching public awareness drives that emphasise the significance of joint responsibility and care for the community as was witnessed during the Covid outbreak in Denmark.

Theideaisinspiring anditaccords significance to unity and cooperation within a society. The idea is helpful in firming up social bonds and encouraging the people to organise events for bringing people closer together which eventually leads to nurturing unity, belongingness and togetherness. Volunteer programmes are promoted that allow citizens to contribute their time and skills to community projects. There is absolutely no harm in learning from others when we have gone astray to the level that we have.

Naira Eshaal Islamabad