The final day of Brac Hope Festival ended on Saturday with poetry, music, dance performances, participatory workshops, discussion on climate change and many other events.
Everything at the festival resonated with the hope and potential of the future of Bangladesh.
As part of Brac's 50th-anniversary celebration, the three-day long BRAC Hope Festival started on Thursday at Bangladesh Army Stadium.
The final day of the festival was celebrated with the theme “Building a World We Want”.
Like the previous two days, the last day of the festival was celebrated with enthusiasm, vigour, and energy participated by people from all walks of life particularly the youths.
The last day of the festival was dedicated to the youths and the changemakers of Bangladesh.
Ten young changemakers who brought positive changes in different sectors of the country were awarded “Amra Notun Young Changemakers Award”.
“Taaga Outstanding Young Professionals Award”, which has been launched for the first time, was awarded to three young and powerful working women under 35 years of age for their exceptional contributions to different corporations and organisations of Bangladesh.
There was a panel discussion on Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies where Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh participated as one of the speakers.
CourtesyOther discussants were Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Zainab Faruqui Ali, Khondaker Hasibul Kabir, Dr Md Liakath Ali, and Emerald Upoma Baidya. The discussion was moderated by journalist Iftekhar Mahmud.
Brac International Executive Director Shameran Abed delivered his speech on the last day of the festival.
Addressing the audience, he said: “We work to build confidence in people and communities through igniting hope and creating opportunities for knowledge, skills, and economic empowerment. We aim to assist people in achieving self-dependence so that they become their own change agents. More than 100 million people across Asia and Africa are partnering with BRAC to change the course of their lives. We hope you will be with us in our effort to build a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination.”
A documentary by renowned British documentary photographer Platon on the remarkable life and contribution of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed was screened. In addition, a special documentary on Brac International was also shown.
Brac executive director Asif Saleh delivered the vote of thanks.
The festival ended with an enthralling stage performance by popular musician James.
Hope Festival was organised with the aim 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.
Brac witnesses that 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.
