| Beyond
Borders is a Connecting Futures project of the British
Council providing a platform for young people from Bangladesh,
India, Pakistan and the UK. It is all about sharing, learning
and networking initiative for young people from Bangladesh,
India, Pakistan and the UK. This project involves a range
of activities designed to explore identity and developed
in consultation with young people for the young people.
British council took this initiative after attack on America
on September 11 2001.
The
focus is to establish a regional/UK contacts and communication
so that experience and knowledge is shared through life
skills Programme in each country. Young people in all
countries will be engaged with issues of active citizenship,
social responsibility and identity.
Democracywatch
has been providing vital and high quality 'Life-Skill
Training Programmes' to the young people since 1995. This
includes training in English language, computing, secretarial
& management issues and current world affairs. These
training Programmes are aimed at enhancing their future
career to keep pace with the ever-changing and competitive
world.
The
"Youth Leadership Programme" of Democracywatch
intends to develop/enhance the leadership qualities
among the youth of Bangladesh who will work Beyond Borders.
The Programme is designed such a way through which the
target group will be able to learn and know about contemporary
issues such as Diversity and Tolerance, Gender Equity,
Environment we live, HIV/AIDS, Consequence of Drug abuse,
Culture & Heritage, Governance and Democracy in
interactive manner. They will share their experience
with others through workshops. And field trips exposure
encourage them to raise the inequalities to the experts
from the Government office as well as private sector.
More
than 80 young participants from Dhaka and 30 from Mymensingh
are taking part in various activities starting from
sports, drama and rally, campaign as well as raising
their voice to authorities when needed. The participants
also organized a debate festival from 10th February
to 17th February 2005, which are being well attended
by teams representing best Universities & Colleges
of Dhaka.
Democracywatch
with the support of the British Council organized an
International Youth Summit from 20th February to 22nd
February 2005 where participants from Bangladesh, India,
and Pakistan shared their experience through different
media such as debating, cultural Programmes, forum theater
and other means of interactive sessions during this
summit. These types of activities are part of regular
training we provide at Democracywatch to shape a better
Bangladesh.
To
add a few more four young participants went to India
to attend the Beyond Borders India Fair '05 at New Delhi
from 3rd - 4th February 2005. Where they shared their
experience with others representing India, Sri Lanka
and Scotland.
Another
group of four participants went to Pakistan to attend
the Beyond Borders Pakistan Festival '05 held at Karachi
and Rawalpindi from 5th - 7th March 2005.
In
both occasion participants got enough opportunities
to know about the activities and initiatives took by
their fellow young partners. Which is definitely help
all to develop certain elements to promote youth activities
beyond the borders
Democracywatch's
vision through this leadership campaign is to develop
a Parliament for the youth community. As today's youth
will take over the tomorrow's leadership they should
be able to practice proper democracy as well as plan
for their own future through the Youth Parliament. Democracywatch
already started planning for such with the help of Scottish
Youth Parliament.
This
project started to create positive impact, because in
this part of the world our young people have enough
potentialities but lack opportunities.
Participants'
reflection
"Youth Summit was a process of learning through
entertainment. Aimed to develop leaders who will drive
the world tomorrow. We learned about punctuality, mutual
respect through different Programmes."
"Better mutual understanding means to know the
world from world perspective. This guides to feel the
humanity in most diverse situation. We need a common
platform to create mutual understanding between young
people beyond the geographical borders. I know we can
do the job right through music, creative writing, recitation
and documentaries."
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