Youth Global Foundation, one of the largest organizations working for the youths of the country, is providing patronage to 14 arts and culture platforms.

Dr. Seema Hamid, chairperson of Youth Global Foundation, made the announcement on February 16 while speaking at an event, titled “Ashun Alaap Koriye Dei”, in Dhaka.

The 14 arts and culture platforms receiving patronage from Youth Global Foundation have developed under Gurukul Online Learning Network. The platforms are: Sitar Gurukul, Violin Gurukul, Bansuri Gurukul, Amar Rabindranath, Amar Nazrul, Acting Gurukul, Film Gurukul, Fine Arts Gurukul, Recitation Gurukul, Dance Gurukul, Tabla Gurukul, Classical Gurukul, Folk Gurukul, and Music Gurukul.

These platforms are working in 14 specialized disciplines of arts and culture.

According to the organizers, Youth Global Foundation will provide scholarship to one student or researcher from each of these platforms. In addition, every year the foundation will facilitate the 14 platforms in honouring individuals and organizations making special contributions to relevant cultural fields.

“Youth Global Foundation will act as an accelerator for these platforms. They have been working on the educational aspect of the fields. Now, they will work to strengthen and expand the base of these fields under the auspices of our foundation,” Dr. Seema Hamid said.

Mentioning that they will provide 14 scholarships every year, Seema Hamid added, “After completing primary lessons, those demonstrating talent and interest in joining these platforms will be provided scholarship every year. Scholarships may be for further education at home or abroad, or for dedicated practice of the art form. It may also be for research.”

“We believe that we can encourage more talented individuals to take up arts through honouring those making contributions to the fields,” Seema Hamid said, adding that Youth Global Foundation will work to connect foreign artists and cultural activists with Bangladeshi artists.

Expressing gratitude, Chief Guru and Secretary of Gurukul Online Network’s platform Art and Culture Gurukul, Pandit Asit Dey, said, “Art and culture have not yet been properly developed as an industry in Bangladesh. Technological advancement has brought on multidimensional challenges. Under the circumstances, patronage at individual, social, institutional and state levels is very important.”

The program was also addressed by Creative Director of Dance Gurukul Emon Kumar Dey, Creative Director of Film Gurukul Nazmun Nafeez Khan, Creative Director of Folk Gurukul Kamruzzaman Rabbi, Creative Director of Amar Nazrul Pramita De and more.

About 200 teachers, artists, and renowned personalities from various sectors of art and culture were present at the event.

After the inaugural program, teachers of Art and Culture Gurukul participated in various performances. Among them were Mustakim Abir’s solo flute performance, Samhita Chakraborty and Nishit Dey’s sitar-violin duet and Prashant Bhowmik’s tabla.