To celebrate the multifaceted endeavours of the youth leading various changes across the country and to honour their initiatives, BRAC is organising the two-day event 'Carnival of Change 2024'. In this event, participants of 'Amra Notun Network' showcased various social initiatives, and the top 5 projects have been awarded.
Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, the Honourable Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament and Asif Saleh, the Executive Director of BRAC, awarded the Changemakers with their prizes. The event, organised by BRAC Youth Platform, started on Saturday, 27 April 2024, at BRAC CDM, Savar.
Addressing the event, the Chief Guest, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, said, "The new generation will think anew, solve anew. They will change society with their entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. Changemakers are working towards this goal." Highlighting BRAC Youth Platform as a new arena for the development of youth intellect and creativity, she added, "We have seen that as a result, young people are finding opportunities for new initiatives, establishing themselves nationally and internationally, and finding easy solutions to many difficult problems."
Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, stated, "Great leaders of the world have brought major changes in the world by determining their priorities beforehand. You have to decide how you will determine yours. Everyone's thoughts will differ, but among those thoughts, some things need to remain common - that is patriotism, love for the people of the country, and responsibility towards them. Just as there is a sense of duty towards the family, towards the parents."
At the beginning of the event, Shariful Hasan, Deputy Director of BRAC Migration and Youth Platform, gave the opening remarks. Then, the young Changemakers who led various social initiatives across different parts of the country showcased their social initiatives and the products they produced at various stalls. Respected guests could learn about their stories of change in various communities across the country, their various projects, products, and services.
Social media influencer Sakib Bin Rashid engaged with the participants through a lively adda.
The top 10 projects were selected through the presentation of innovative ideas from community-based projects under 'Amra Notun Network'. The 'Changemakers Award 2024' was awarded to the top 5 projects: 'Waste to Resource' for waste management, 'Uddomita' for women's skills development, 'Ujjibon' for climate resilience, 'Mukto' for clothing for all, and 'Khadija' for women's IT training.
After the awards ceremony, Raba Khan participated in a lively discussion with the Change Makers to hear their stories of changing society.
At the event, Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC, spoke at a town hall session with the chagemakers, saying, "Do what your heart desires so that you can impact many more lives. Let your dreams be big and strong. And work together. When one person excels in something good, many more come forward. That's why we have created the Amra Notun Network so that we can be by each other's side."
The 1st day of the event ended with a cultural evening presented by renowned musicians Minar and Masha, enjoyed by the participants.
Tomorrow, on Sunday, 28 April there will be a day-long discussion event on various social issues such as climate change, environmental awareness, future leadership, and mutual cooperation.
BRAC Youth Platform is working towards creating a culture of collaborative social leadership among the country's youth, based on compassion, fostering human values, and developing problem-solving skills for the 21st century. The platform, among other initiatives, highlights the significant role of the youth participants of 'Amra Notun Network' in social development.
