The UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize is promoting creative economy globally, said Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi SM Mahbubul Alam recently.

Mahbubul was speaking at the seminar "Unlocking the Creative Economy" organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA) in Karachi on February 28.

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FPCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, diplomats of OIC countries, including consuls general of Indonesia and Malaysia, other diplomats from the Consulate General of Iran and Türkiye, ICCIA Secretary General Yusuf Hasan Khalawi, Advisor to the Director General of ICESCO Ahmed Said Bah, eco-system enablers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders, including talented women and promising young entrepreneurs were also present.

Mahbubul said today, culture and creativity account for 3.1 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and 6.2 percent of all employment in the world. "The cultural and creative economy contributes $2.2 trillion to the global economy and creates employment opportunities to over 30 million people globally, including the OIC countries."

The deputy high commissioner said UNESCO created a very prestigious prize for the creative economy in 2021 named "UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy Prize."

"The international prize rewards exceptional initiatives that support young entrepreneurs in the creative economy across the globe. The prize is now an immense encouragement for the talents in the creative economy across the globe," he added.

The deputy high commissioner encouraged the talented individuals and organisations in the creative economy across the OIC Countries to compete for the international award, for which the nomination of the second edition is open from December 2022 and the finally nominated individual or organisation will be awarded during the General Conference of UNESCO in November 2023.