The Jahangirnagar University (JU) chapter of ‘Save Youth’, organized a two-day workshop on ‘Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement’.
The workshop was inaugurated by Professor Tasmia Persoob, Chairperson of the Department of International Relations of the university, on Friday (May 24) morning. The workshop concluded on Saturday (May 25) with the distribution of certificates to the participants.
The workshop was organized with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) planning and the cooperation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 41 youth leaders participated in the workshop.
In her inaugural speech, Professor Tasmia Persoob said, “This workshop will help develop the skills of the youth leaders of the campus. In addition, the knowledge gained from the workshop will open up new doors for applying it to solve social problems.”
Aynul Islam, National Moderator of Save Youth Bangladesh and Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University, said, “The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) plans to introduce a new course on democracy and civic engagement at JU later this year.” He also emphasized the importance of the contribution of those who participated in the workshop in the future.
MD. Sazzad Hossen, Moderator of Save Youth Jahangirnagar University and Lecturer of the Department of International Relations, said, “Youth leaders are the beacons of hope of our society. They do not blame problems but try to solve social problems themselves. I believe this training will help them take a few more steps forward in identifying and solving social problems.”
He further said, “The workshop will help build a strong network of youth leaders of Jahangirnagar University and act as a role model for other universities.”
The closing ceremony of the workshop was attended by Professor Dr. Md. Khalid Quddus, a member of the university’s Senate and a teacher of the Department of International Relations, as the chief guest. He said, “Such positive training is needed for the students. Through this training, youth leaders will be able to apply their new skills for the betterment of society.”
Fairoz Maliha Afra, Co-President of Save Youth Jahangirnagar University Chapter and Ayesha Akther Eti, General Secretary, believe that this workshop is an important step for the students in the field of youth leadership and civic engagement. They said that the participants are expected to apply their training to bring about positive change and solve social problems in their communities, which will set an example for other educational institutions to follow.
The workshop was divided into several sessions, which covered topics such as leadership skills, civic engagement, advocacy, and social problem-solving. The participants also had the opportunity to network with each other and share their experiences.
The workshop was a valuable learning experience for the participants. It helped them develop the skills and knowledge they need to be effective leaders and changemakers. The participants are now better equipped to make a positive difference in their communities.