Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) hosted Virtual Youth Carnival 2020 to celebrate the never-fading resilience of the youth. This year has been tough for all and youths have experienced halt on education, restriction on movement, and worry of unemployment. Despite all the hardships, they have always shown their courage and strength. BYLC dedicated this event to that courage.
BYLC has been celebrating the undying spirit of youth for a long time. Last year, they organised the first edition of youth carnival. This year, due to pandemic, they had to shift online. Interactive sessions, workshops, and cultural performances-- everything was held successfully online.
"Youths have shown the power of transformation during Covid-19 through their actions for their communities. Now we have to think about the resources and benefits that we can give to them so that they are able to give back to their communities in an even stronger manner," said Shaheen Anam, executive director at Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).
The carnival was attended by over 5,000 youth participants who are aged between 15 and 30 years and from diverse geographic and socio-economic backgrounds. Throughout the event, the speakers and the participants commended how youths are initiating social change in Bangladesh, regardless of whether they are studying in a school in a remote area of the country, or working for an international organisation.
Md Atiqul Islam, mayor of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), applauded youths’ initiative in re-building the nation. "During Covid-19, the youths of Bangladesh have shown the transformation they are capable of implementing in their communities. Their participation is critical in developing our nation post-Covid-19."
The agenda of the carnival included workshops, panel discussions, and interactive sessions. The topics of discussion included critical thinking, responsibilities of youth, higher studies, leadership, grit and resilience, volunteerism and much more. In addition to discussions, musical performances by Elita Karim, Fairooz Nazifa, and Tapesh Chakraborty were also arranged virtually.
Discussants at the carnival emphasised the importance of teamwork and critical thinking skills. "We need to come out of the 'meritocracy' mindset. From my experience, the most productive teams consist of people who may have mediocre grades but have great teamwork, problem-solving, and analytical skills," said scientist Senjuti Saha of Child Health Research Foundation, Bangladesh.
In his session on 'Asking ‘Why’?: The Significance of Critical Thinking,'' Chamok Hasan, writer, online instructor, and R&D engineer at Boston Scientific Corporation, said, "The main goal of critical thinking is to process the knowledge we gain from our surroundings and take objective decisions based on that knowledge, rather than what any person has to say."
Mirza Salman Hossain Beg, vice president and head of innovation at DTAC, Thailand, focused on the importance of discipline in achieving one's goals and dreams: "You have to come out of your comfort zone. Try to learn something new every month. You will then find yourself more equipped to fight any uncertainty in life."
Pavel Sarwar, co-founder and president of Youth Hub, Malaysia, mentioned in his session, "I started from a small town in Bangladesh and now I am one of the founders of a software company and a youth organisation in Malaysia. Despite not being proficient in English or even lacking some certain skills, I have been able to impact change only because I have been able to pursue my passion and continue to do what I love."
Participants at the carnival gained insights on making a mark on the global platform, practicing adaptive leadership during crises, acting as key influencers in policymaking, and other youth issues prevalent in today's society. A session with Bangladeshis based in countries around the world showcased how they chartered new paths, overcame obstacles, and thus continue to impact change in Bangladesh.
The writer is a third-year student of BBA programme at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka.
He can be reached at rashikriasat404@gmail.com