Brac is set to organize a three-day festival, of culture, stories, crafts, music, and art, titled “Hope Festival” as the epilogue of its year-long observances which marked 50 years of its founding.
The announcement came at a press conference today at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital, said a press release issued on Thursday.
Hope Festival, an open-for-all event, will be held at Bangladesh Army Stadium in the capital on February 9, 10, and 11.
Everyone is welcome to take part in the festival by simply visiting the website (https://brachopefestival.net/) and registering for the event.
Asif Saleh, executive director of Brac Bangladesh, and Tamara Hasan Abed, managing director of Brac Enterprises made the announcement during the press conference.
Asif Saleh said: “We believe that social change can't be brought without partnerships. We have to come forward with new and innovative solutions to deal with these challenges. Building on the potential of the youth, we need to work together to meet the challenges of the future.”
“Through this festival, we aim to get everyone on board today to solve the social challenges of tomorrow,” he added.
Tamara Hasan Abed said: “50 years of working with people, believing in their potential and organizing the people to help them turn their lives around, this distinct approach to development, which Brac stands for, is now being lauded the world over for its efficacy.”
“We want to share insights we get from the ground with everyone. We want to inspire the vision of doing development differently and promote innovative approaches to tackle social problems,” she added.
Selim RF Hussain, managing director, and chief executive officer of Brac Bank Ltd Kamal Quadir, chief executive officer of Bkash, and Mominul Islam, managing director, and chief executive officer of IPDC Finance Ltd were also present at the press conference.
Brac's founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed used to say – when people have the opportunity to realize their potential, a light of hope gets switched on.
Brac witnesses belief turning into reality, every day, right from the frontline, to the last mile.
Each of the over 100 million people Brac works with – teachers, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, producers, partners – from the heart of Bangladesh to the most remote corners of the world – is evidence of hope triumphing over adversity.
Hope Festival aims to inspire Bangladesh's youth with those very stories of people turning their lives around, on their own, with just a tender rekindling of hope.
The three-day festival will cover three thematic areas with the first day (February 9) dedicated to a tribute to Bangladesh.
On the second day (February 10), Hope Festival will be centred around showcasing the potential of people to transform their lives.
Festivities of the final day (February 10) will lay out a vision for an equitable and prosperous future for all by sparking a discussion on the pathways to building the world we want.
Hope Festival aims to inspire conversations around five key focus areas, namely education, financial empowerment, gender equality, climate change, and mental health.
To build a community of changemakers and find innovative ways of addressing these social issues, Hope Festival will provide a platform for everyone to submit their ideas to tackle these social challenges.
People can submit their ideas online while registering for the festival and shortlisted ideators will get to share their ideas, connect, and partner with other changemakers.
There will be open workshops with artisans, cartoonists, and urban green scapes at the festival. People will get to stroll through a world of inspiration, experiencing bioscopes, puppet shows, human libraries, children's play areas, and exhibits showcasing the power of hope.
In a bid to inspire the youth to take ownership of solving social challenges, a group of young changemakers will be felicitated at the festival for their contributions through the “Amra Notun Network Young Changemakers Award”.
Also, TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award will be given out at the festival to women for their contributions at the workplace.
To ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities, Hope Festival will incorporate inclusive infrastructure on festival grounds.
Moreover, visitors will get the opportunity to experience the life of persons with disabilities through interactive exhibits and sign language performance.
Every day the festivities will be topped off with cultural performances in the evening by some of the biggest names from the cultural sphere of Bangladesh. Fazlur Rahman Babu, Nagar Baul (James), Arnob, Artcell, Lalon band, and Nemesis will enthral the audience with their live performances.
Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay will stage a special session.
Bkash, Brac Bank, IPDC Finance, and Brac University are proud partners of the Hope Festival.
