Dhaka-OIC Youth Capital 2020 kicks off
Dhaka-OIC Youth Capital 2020 has been inaugurated in the capital city through a virtual launching ceremony.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina opened the year-long events of Dhaka-OIC Youth Capital 2020 at 4:00pm on Monday.
The Dhaka-OIC Youth Capital 2020 was launched with an aim to bring the youth and their spirit together from every corner of the world, said a press release on Thursday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the global youth while Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, secretary general, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Azad Rahimov, youth and sports minister of Azerbaijan, Dawda A Jallow, justice minister and attorney general of the Gambia, AK Abdul Momen, foreign affairs minister of Bangladesh, Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, state minister for youth and sports of Bangladesh and Md Akhter Hossain, secretary of youth and sports ministry of, Mr. TahaAyhan, president of Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) and other global leaders and dignitaries graced the occasion with their presence and speeches.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, prime minister Sheikh Hasina and said, “The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was an icon for the youth. He dreamed of a self-solvent, self-sufficient and independent nation with the spirit of the youth. With this spirit today’s youth have to bring innovation in their thinking and establish a sustainable society free from all discrimination.
“Government has taken all the necessary measures to combat the COVID-19. But the current situation has created an obstacle for the world economy. As a result, there is no other way except global cooperation in order to keep the human civilisation alive,” Hasina added.
PM also said, “The youths have to work for equality and prosperity. The youths from all over the world have to raise their voice to help the Rohingya community to get back to their own country Myanmar.”
State minister Zahid Ahsan Russel said, “Bangabandhu was an icon and massive role model to millions of youth from all over the world. To celebrate the auspicious occasion ‘Mujib Year 2020’ and to enlighten the global youths about the legacy and contribution of Bangabandhu in world politics and Islam, we could not imagine a better platform than Dhaka OIC Youth Capital 2020.
“I thank OIC for selecting Dhaka as the OIC Youth Capital this year. I also thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) for their relentless effort and cooperation,” he added.
Foreign affairs minister AK Abdul Momen said, “We were expected to launch the event sequence in April 2020. But the COVID-19 pushed us back. Now – we have remodeled and relaunched ourselves on the web-platform.”
He also said, “Additionally, we have reasons to believe that the occurrence of the COVID-19 has only accentuated the underlying rationale for the theme of this year’s edition ‘Resilience for Parity and Prosperity’. COVID-19 has shown the world that the whole of the human civilisation is one and to return from the precipice we need each for the other. Regardless of language, ethnicity, race, religion, or for that matter, even national boundaries and sovereignty, this deadly menace has caused us to think of ‘humanity’ at the core of each of faith systems.”,
Speaking at the event, chairman of the Islamic Conference of Youth and youth and sports minister of Azerbaijan Azad Rahimov said OIC Youth Capital will inspire the youth to do something new. It will give recognition to their creative works.
While addressing the programme, president of Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), Taha Ayhan said, today’s gathering is dedicated to the youths from Dhaka and all the member states. Participation of the youth on development process can find a way for an effective solution on social problems and world global economic crisis.
OIC secretary general Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen said youths have to fight in scientific way against it.
“We have to encourage them to keep themselves away from terrorism. Things that have happened with the Rohingya Community in Myanmar is the violation of Human Rights. We strongly condemn it. The awareness of the youth will help us building a beautiful future.”
The press statement said, the organisers informed that over ten elaborated virtual mega-events engaging youth from across the globe have been designed for celebrating “Dhaka–OIC Youth Capital 2020” in the current COVID-19 context.
At the end of the inauguration ceremony, on behalf of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, state minister Zahid Ahsan handed over the Key of the Dhaka-OIC Youth Capital 2020 to member of the trustee board and ex-president of United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh (UNYSAB), Mohammad Mamun Mia and country coordinator of Model OIC Bangladesh, Fahmida Faiza in favor of all youths of Bangladesh.