Feature

“Global Leadership:
The Next Generation”

Sumaiya Haque

THE International Affairs Club (IAC) was established under the supervision of the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (SLASS) of the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). IAC is comprised of mainly University students, working primarily in collaboration with youth based organizations and some well reputed NGOs. IAC works to help students explore their hidden potentials through youth development, civic engagement, and community activism for developing a sustainable world for everyone.

It's the IAC vision to provide the members with an understanding of the responsibilities and benefits of global citizenry, and instill in them the values of peace, justice, understanding and participation.

IAC has a very good track record in organizing leadership programs for youth, and representing Bangladesh to the international community. This 8th of April IAC in collaboration with Jagoree, organized the interactive session “Global Leadership: The Next Generation” for a better understanding of the key global issues and to encourage the youth to prepare themselves for tackling these issues. Details were explained by the president of IAC, Farha Khan. Dr. G. M. Shahidul Alam, Chief Patron of IAC, gave the welcome address.

Jagoree is a non-partisan youth platform where the young leaders try to understand and analyze the political issues, and collectively practice leadership skills to address and solve these issues by various creative and effective means. They supported the event by featuring a thought-provoking documentary, “The Corporation” to highlight the internal factors that influence global politics. It deals with fundamental questions on the origin, nature, expansion and effects of the modern corporate institution that dominates the economy, political culture and everyday life of most of the earth's inhabitants, while also depicting individuals and groups struggling against corporate domination. This helped to initiate a discussion amongst the audience so that a critical understanding of the perception of the youth could be obtained.

Once the youth had spoken, it was the turn of the leaders who have seen and dealt with the World first hand to discuss, scrutinize, analyze, and give suggestions. The Chief Guest for the event, Farooq Sobhan, President, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, and Former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador, discussed youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development which are two basic and crucial aspects of national advancement. Farooq Sobhan suggested how the youth should be driven towards sustainable development of our nation in this global political and socio-economical dilemma.

Special Guest Shahed Akhter, Former Ambassador to Bangladesh highlighted the strong and important link that exists between global politics and the new generation. Akhter analyzed this relationship thoroughly and brought out effective solutions to the existing problems in global perspective. He stressed on the importance of nurturing oneself to be the future leaders of Bangladesh and solve the global challenges in a diplomatic manner. Special Guest Professor Bazlul Mobin Chowdhury, Vice Chancellor of Independent University, Bangladesh brought in focus the significant flaws of the youth that holds the generation back from being sustainable leaders of the future.

The audience was an amazing combination of current leaders, mentors who make the leaders and the aspiring future leaders themselves. A major intention of IAC for this event that was successful. The guests who contributed their precious time and participants who encouraged the supported the effort of IAC were wholeheartedly thanked by the Faculty Advisor of IAC, Jessica Tartila Suma. The issues and their prospective solutions that emerged form this session was to analyze the position of the youth of Bangladesh in this global context. It was to scrutinize the involvement of the youth in understanding this network of geo-politics.

Global politics have been run by the corporate world, which is a major key that unlocks important issues for the sustainable development of the world. Hence, it becomes important for every individual to be aware of the current scenario or trend of global politics and related factors. Especially the youth are in focus since they are most likely to take over the reigns of leadership. IAC will continue to organize events and workshops to groom the youth towards leadership.

(The writer is a student of Media and Communication, IUB)

Photo Credit: Salman Farabi, Student of Media and Communication, IUB