Friendship School students at a workshop on Tuesday shared their experiences and ways to deal with climate change and disasters with students from Europe. The workshop was held at the Gaibandha Friendship Centre, where they learned from each other about handling climate problems.
As part of the Connected School Project, students from several schools in Luxembourg participated in the workshop, sharing their experiences with the Friendship School students.
Around 1,000 secondary students from 16 schools across the remote chars of the Jamuna–Brahmaputra basin study under the Friendship education programme. Selected students from these schools took part in the workshop, alongside nine students and three teachers from three Luxembourg schools. Both groups explored hands-on learning sites, including solar-powered computer labs, the lifesaving Friendship Floating Hospital, Plinth villages designed to withstand river erosion and seasonal floods, Solar Villages, and legal service centres in the char areas.
Workshop Team Leader Neyamat Ullah said the Inter School Connectivity Programme, launched in 2021, has expanded the knowledge and skills of secondary students in remote areas. The programme has already positively impacted their abilities, benefiting their future higher education and career.
Esméralda Chupin, Manager of Friendship Connecting Schools in Luxembourg, stated that each year European students visit the char areas of Bangladesh to observe the environment, climate challenges, and local coping strategies. This exchange allows students from different environments and cultures to broaden their knowledge through shared experiences.
Friendship Education Programme Assistant Manager Olive Hossain, Connected School Project Managers Ana Robin and Chesia Pirvu from Friendship France were, among others, present.