North South University has issued a statement in response to the incident at the recent Women’s Career Carnival, acknowledging the challenges that have been brought to light.
“At North South University, we strive for excellence in education while fostering an inclusive environment that respects everyone. The recent Women's Career Carnival event highlighted the challenges in achieving these ideals,” reads the statement issued on Sunday.
“We recognize and respect the public's varied opinions regarding Ho Chi Minh Islam's participation in this program. These views reflect our society's diverse beliefs and values.
NSU believes in the power of education to broaden perspectives and encourage respectful dialogue. Ms. Islam's involvement was aimed at promoting understanding and celebrating the achievements of marginalized communities in the workforce. However, it is also important to give the context in which this unfortunate event took place,” it adds.
The Women's Career Carnival 2023, organized by Heroes for All (HFA) and I-Social from Friday to Saturday, took place at North South University's venue, facilitated by the Career and Placement Center (CPC) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The event aimed to address gender disparity, enhance leadership skills, and inspire women to overcome career barriers.
“Ho Chi Minh Islam was one of the speakers of this program. Followed by some unexpected events, this talk was cancelled. NSU acknowledges the regrettable nature of this incident for the speaker, the organizers and the host. Following this incident, there has been considerable criticism on social media, and we value this feedback as an opportunity for improvement. We acknowledge the need to collaboratively implement the lessons learned from this experience in our future endeavors. It has also come to our attention that misinformation has been circulating regarding the event,” the statement reads.
The statement adds that there were claims that the vice-chancellor's office had cancelled the talk, but the North South University authorities said Professor Atiqul Islam, the VC of NSU, was out of the country during the unfortunate incident.
“Additionally, there were references to communication from the Pro VC, but it's important to note that NSU currently does not have a Pro VC. We want to make it clear that all communication occurred between CPC and the event organizers, Heroes for All (HFA) and I-Social. We would like to commend Heroes for All (HFA) and I-Social for their excellent organization of the program. NSU is pleased to have supported the organizers in hosting this event,” the statement says.
North South University looks forward to working closely with organizers and speakers to promote gender equality and foster an inclusive environment. “We reaffirm our commitment to creating opportunities where every voice is valued, supporting gender equality and empowerment in line with SDG 5. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe, inclusive space for all on the campus. We thank our community for their support and feedback as we address these complex issues, and we remain committed to a future that honors the diversity of all individuals.” the statement concludes.