UNESCO
Audrey Azoulay re-elected Unesco DG
Audrey Azoulay has been re-elected as the director-general (DG) of Unesco with the massive support of the organisation's 193 member states.
Azoulay's re-election took place Tuesday in a spirit of consensus with the overwhelming backing of Unesco member states, obtaining 155 votes out of 169 ballots cast.
Over the past four years, Unesco has undergone a significant modernisation process to improve the efficiency of its actions.
"I see this result as a sign of regained unity within our organisation. Over the last four years, we have been able to restore confidence in Unesco. And in some respects, this has also been about restoring Unesco's confidence in itself," Azoulay said. "We regained serenity by reducing the political tensions that stood in our way and by looking for common positions on subjects that were divisive in the past."
"We were then able to develop a shared ambition, notably by reconnecting with the tradition of leading major operations in the field."
The organisation notably embarked on the reconstruction of the old city of Mosul in Iraq – launched in 2018 and currently underway – Unesco said.
Since the tragic double explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020, Unesco has rebuilt close to 90 schools in the Lebanese capital where it is also pursuing activities in the fields of heritage and culture.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, as hundreds of millions of children and adolescents were deprived of their right to learn, Unesco established the Global Education Coalition, which made it possible to ensure educational continuity in 112 countries.
This new momentum has led to a consolidation of Unesco's budget. On the twin pillars of national and voluntary contributions, funding for 2020-21 totalled $1.4 billion.
Voluntary contributions increased by 50 per cent over the 2017-2021 period, compared to the previous four years.
PM leaves London for Paris
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left London on Tuesday morning for Paris to attend the 75th Anniversary of UNESCO and distribute the first-ever UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for Creative Economy.
During the Paris tour, Sheikh Hasina will also have meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and French Prime Minister Jean Castex.
"A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage left Heathrow International Airport at 9:24am (local time),” PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the United Kingdom Saida Tasneem Muna saw her off at the airport.
Earlier Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, talked to her party leaders and activists from the expatriate community, who came to her place of residence --Claridge’s Hotel-- in London to see off her, said Ihsanul Karim.
The PM told them that she could not meet all physically due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation and she would do that when the situation becomes normal.
The aircraft will land at De Gaulle International Airport at 11:15am local time, where Bangladesh Ambassador Khandaker Mohammad Talha will receive her.
Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be given a warm reception at Elysee Palace, the official residence of French President Emmanuel Macron, when she arrives there.
The French President would receive the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina upon her arrival at the palace.
Read:Hasina for changing traditional lens of Bangladesh-UK relations
A red carpet will be rolled out there to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while the Presidential guard will also give a salute to her.
Both the Bangladesh Prime Minister and the French President will have a tete-a-tete followed by witnessing the signing of MoUs/TCA/TA.
Hasina will also join a launch to be hosted by Emmanuel Macron and visit the Guard of Honor to be given by the Republican Guard at the Elysee Palace.
Later, the Prime Minister is scheduled to go to the Matignon, the official residence of the French Prime Minister.
Upon her arrival at the Matignon, French Prime Minister Jean Castex would receive and welcome her with a bouquet of flowers.
Read:World must share responsibility of climate migrants: Hasina
On November 10, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and Dassault Aviation president Eric Trappier, Thales president Patrice Caine will call on her at her place of residence.
She will have a meeting with the French business organisation MEDEF’s high-profile delegate.
French Minister Florence Parly will also meet her.
Later in the afternoon, she will visit the French Senate where she will receive an official reception during the ongoing Senate Session.
On November 11, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Paris Peace Forum.
Later, she will go to attend the Unesco-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy at Unesco Headquarters. From there she will go to Elysee Palace to attend the dinner to be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in honour of her.
On November 12, Sheikh Hasina will go to the Paris Peace Forum and attend a high-level panel discussion on South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
Later she will go to the Unesco Headquarters to attend the inaugural session of the 75th Founding anniversary of Unesco and she will deliver her speech there.
She will participate in the dinner to be hosted by Unesco director general Audrey Azoulay in honour of the head of the governments and states.
On November 13, Sheikh Hasina will attend a civic reception to be accorded to her by the expatriate Bangladeshis living there.
At 4pm (local time), she will depart De Gaulle International Airport by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and land at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport at 10 am (local time) on November 14.
Earlier, on November 3, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, from Glasgow after attending the World Leaders Summit at the COP26 and other events.
On October 31, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Glasgow on a two-week visit to the United Kingdom and France.
Srinagar joins UNESCO Creative Cities Network 2021 as 'City of Craft and Folk Art'
In a major recognition of the crafts and arts of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar on Monday joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) 2021, under the Crafts and Folk Arts category.
The inclusion of Srinagar in the creative city network for the arts and crafts has paved a way for the city to represent its handicrafts on the global stage through UNESCO, reports ANI.
This was announced on UNESCO's official website wherein 49 cities have joined this elite list. The exercise for UNESCO nomination was started by Jammu and Kashmir in 2018 however our nomination was not accepted then.
Read: India moves to patent the over century-old logos of Darjeeling’s ‘Toy Train’
This year the exercise of Dossier preparation began in the month of May. The government of India Ministry of Culture received four nominations which included Two from Madhya Pradesh Gwalior and Indore and one from West Bengal (Calcutta ) and one from Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar).
The government of India rejected the application of Calcutta and Indore and forwarded only two nominations which included Srinagar and Gwalior. The Centre recommended the nomination of Gwalior for the Creative City of Music and Srinagar for the Creative City of Craft and Folk arts to UNESCO on June 29, 2021.
The nomination of Gwalior was rejected and that of Srinagar was accepted. This nomination is the global recognition of the rich craft legacy of Srinagar and will help us in attracting Craft Connoisseurs to Jammu and Kashmir and particularly Srinagar.
The UNESCO creative city network involves seven creative fields arts and folk art, media, film, literature, design, gastronomy and Media arts.
The dossier for nomination for Srinagar as the Creative city was first filed by Srinagar in the year 2019, however, only 2 cities, Hyderabad for Gastronomy and Mumbai for Film were chosen during that year.
Prior to the year 2019, only three Indian cities have been recognised as members of UCCN for creative cities namely, Jaipur (Crafts and Folk Arts) in 2015, Varanasi (Creative city of Music) in 2015 and Chennai (Creative city of Music) in 2017. For the year 2020 UNESCO did not call for applications for creative city network.
Read: India At COP26 Says Its Solar Energy Capacity Increased 17 Times In 7 Years
Chief Executive Officer, Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project, JKERA, Dr Abid Rashid Shah, said that process of nomination of Srinagar under the UNESCO Creative City Network was undertaken and funded under the World Bank Funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project. This is the recognition of the historical Crafts and Arts of the City.
"It is a proud moment for all of us. World Bank, Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) and Department of Industries did a remarkable job in projecting the city in this regard," said Dr Shah.
Director, Technical, Planning and Coordination, JTFRP, Iftikhaar Hakeem, said that credit must go to JTFRP, Department of Industries and line departments for taking up the task positively. He said consultants were hired and work was taken up in this regard to fulfilling all the requirements.
PM’s France visit to elevate Dhaka-Paris ties: FM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay a visit to Paris, France from November 9 to 13 which Dhaka says will be a very “extensive and engaging” one and take the relations between the two countries to a newer height.
She will have bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Jean Castex separately during the visit.
“Both the French President and the Prime Minister invited our Prime Minister to visit France,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.
Also read: Doraiswami lauds Hasina’s leadership in realizing Bangabandhu’s dream of Sonar Bangla
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam said the Prime Minister’s engagement in Paris will be very extensive and she will be given guard of honour in three places.
Covid-19 puts future of 37 mn children in Bangladesh at risk: UNICEF, UNESCO
The education of 37 million children in Bangladesh and about 800 million children in Asia, including South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, has been disrupted due to school closures since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, says a new report.
In Bangladesh, schools were closed throughout the entire pandemic until 12 September, when they reopened again.
The report, ‘Situation Analysis on the Effects and Responses to COVID-19 on the Education Sector in Asia’ (SitAn Report), was released today by UNICEF and UNESCO on Tuesday.
Also read: Covid-19 put future of 800 mn children across Asia at risk: UNICEF, UNESCO
With schools now open in Bangladesh after an 18-month closure, we must spare no effort to rapidly put in place mechanisms that help children catch-up, keeping a particular focus on the most disadvantaged children, said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.
“Now is the time to invest, to strengthen the education system, and to bridge digital inequalities,” Yett said.
The report highlights the continued impact of the pandemic on children’s education and features various regional government’s programmes and initiatives to respond to it.
At a time of the year when children traditionally should have returned to school from annual holidays, the report urges governments to reopen schools as soon as it is safe to do so.
Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific said they cannot overlook the impact that the disruption of education services has had on children, particularly the most vulnerable.
When schools remain closed, children miss out on the biggest opportunity to learn and develop to their full potential.
Also read: UNICEF: Battered by pandemic, kids need mental health help
“The future of an entire generation is at stake; therefore, we need every effort to ensure a safe reopening of schools as soon as possible. Otherwise, the learning loss will be difficult to overcome,” said the UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific.
While countries across Asia are taking actions to provide students with distance learning, a UNICEF-supported study by the Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) showed that two out of three pre-primary to upper secondary students in Bangladesh were not reached through remote education during pandemic school closures.
In addition to the lack of material assets and support to access technology, other significant obstacles that prevent disadvantaged children, and many girls, from accessing distance learning during these difficult times include a generally poor learning environment, an increase in pressure to take up domestic household chores and being forced to work outside the home.
It also called on governments and partners to strengthen teaching and teacher support, so as to address current low levels of learning and help narrow the learning divide, and protect and preserve education funding.
“Governments, partners and the private sector will need to work together, not only to get the strategies and levels of investment right, but to build more resilient, effective and inclusive systems that are able to deliver on the promise of education as a fundamental human right for all children, whether schools are open or closed,” said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia.
The increased risk of dropping out of schools due to the pandemic, especially for girls and children in poor and already marginalized families, threatens to reverse progress made in school enrolment in recent decades.
Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of UNESCO Bangkok said wile major efforts are needed to mitigate the learning loss of those children who return to school in the post-COVID-19 recovery phase, they must also remember that 128 million children in Asia were already out of school at the onset of the pandemic; this figure represents roughly half of all out-of-school children globally. “This is a learning crisis which needs to be addressed.”
Since the start of the pandemic, UNICEF and UNESCO have supported national governments to maintain and improve interventions to ensure continuity of children’s learning and to safely reopen and operate schools.
Covid-19 put future of 800 mn children across Asia at risk: UNICEF, UNESCO
The education of more than 800 million children – 400 million in South Asia, 260 million in East Asia and 140 million in Southeast Asia – across Asia has been disrupted due to school closures since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, says a new report.
More than 27 million children have been waiting for more than a year to return to their classrooms, according to the report, ‘Situation Analysis on the Effects and Responses to COVID-19 on the Education Sector in Asia’ (hereafter ‘Report’ or ‘SitAn Report’), released on Tuesday by UNICEF and UNESCO.
In Bangladesh, schools have been closed throughout the entire pandemic until 12 September, when they reopened again.
The Report highlights the continued impact of the pandemic on children’s education and features various regional government’s programmes and initiatives to respond to it.
At a time of the year when children traditionally should have returned to school from annual holidays, the report urges governments to reopen schools as soon as it is safe to do so.
Responding to the advent and spread of the pandemic in 2020, schools in Asia were fully closed on average for 50 per cent of teaching days.
Also read: UNICEF welcomes Bangladesh’s decision on reopening schools
In some countries, for example the Philippines schools have been closed throughout the entire pandemic to date, leaving an estimated 27 million students in pre-primary to secondary education without any in-person learning, a continuous period running from early 2020 to the present for over a year and counting.
Even now, as the world enters the last quarter of 2021, many children are facing an unprecedented second year of school closures as new variants of the coronavirus spread across the region.
The associated consequences of such continuous school closures are staggering and include learning loss; mental distress; missed school meals and routine vaccinations; heightened risk of drop out of structured education; increased, child labour; and increased child marriage.
Read: Schools, colleges to reopen on Sept 12: Dipu Moni
Many of these dire consequences are already affecting countless children, and many will continue to be felt in the years to come.
“We cannot overlook the impact that the disruption of education services has had on children, particularly the most vulnerable.
When schools remain closed, children miss out on the biggest opportunity to learn and develop to their full potential.
The future of an entire generation is at stake; therefore, we need every effort to ensure a safe reopening of schools as soon as possible. Otherwise, the learning loss will be difficult to overcome,” stated Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF Regional Director a.i. for East Asia and Pacific.
While countries across Asia are taking actions to provide students with distance learning, at least 28 per cent, or 220 million pre-primary to upper secondary students in the region, are not being reached.
In addition to the lack of material assets and support to access technology, other significant obstacles that prevent disadvantaged children, and many girls, from accessing distance learning during these difficult times include a generally poor learning environment, an increase in pressure to take up domestic household chores and being forced to work outside the home.
This is why the report underscores the importance of delivering equitable and inclusive distance learning at scale to reach all children during full or partial school closures, while providing a package of support to ensure children’s health, nutrition and wellbeing.
It also calls on governments and partners to strengthen teaching and teacher support, so as to address current low levels of learning and help narrow the learning divide, and protect and preserve education funding.
Unless mitigation measures are swiftly implemented, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates an economic loss of USD $1.25 trillion for Asia, which is equivalent to 5.4 per cent of the region’s 2020 gross domestic product (GDP).
Existing evidence shows that the cost of addressing learning gaps are lower and more effective when they are tackled early on in a crisis, and that ongoing investments made in education will support economic recovery, growth and prosperity.
“Governments, partners and the private sector will need to work together, not only to get the strategies and levels of investment right, but to build more resilient, effective and inclusive systems that are able to deliver on the promise of education as a fundamental human right for all children, whether schools are open or closed,” said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia.
Estimates indicate that 4 per cent of schoolchildren in Asia are at risk of dropping out of school due to the pandemic – reversing progress made in school enrolment in recent decades.
According to the Report, education budgets in the region will need to increase by an average of 10 per cent to catch up with such losses if Asia is to reach the education targets of the UN 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals in the next nine years.
“While major efforts are needed to mitigate the learning loss of those children who return to school in the post-COVID-19 recovery phase, we must also remember that 128 million children in Asia were already out of school at the onset of the pandemic; this figure represents roughly half of all out-of-school children globally. This is a learning crisis which needs to be addressed,” said Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of UNESCO Bangkok.
Since the start of the pandemic, UNICEF and UNESCO have supported national governments to maintain and improve interventions to ensure continuity of children’s learning and to safely reopen and operate schools.
UNICEF and UNESCO would like to acknowledge the generous financial contribution of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), without which this SitAn would not have been possible.
Paris Mission receives Public Administration Award
Bangladesh Embassy in Paris has received the Public Administration Award for its collective contributions in internationalizing the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at UNESCO.
The members of the Embassy team are Bangladesh Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate of Bangladesh to UNESCO Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Minister (Political) S M Mahbubul Alam, First Secretary and HoC Dayamayee Chakraborty and First Secretary Nirjhar Adhikary.
Ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain received the award on behalf of the Embassy team.
The award was given in general category considering administrative and diplomatic efforts of the Embassy marking the Public Administration Day.
Read: Bangladeshi artist wins international award
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined (virtually) the function held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city on Tuesday .
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque who joined the function in person handed over the awards to a total of 35 individuals and institutions for the year in 2020 and 2021 on behalf of the Prime Minister.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain chaired the function.
The establishment of the “UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy” was unanimously approved by acclamation at the 210th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board.
Read: 6 receive Unsung Women Nation Builders Award 2021
Named after the Father of the nation of Bangladesh, the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy will award, every two years, US$50,000 to an individual or organization with recognised excellence in nurturing entrepreneurship among young people in the cultural and creative industries.
The first iteration of the Prize will be awarded in the fall of 2021 during UNESCO’s 41st General Conference 9-24 November 2021 to mark the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.
Reopening of schools cannot wait: UNICEF, UNESCO
UNICEF and UNESCO have called for reopening of schools saying it has been 18 months since the COVID-19 outbreak started and education for millions of children is still disrupted.
“This should not go on. Schools should be the last to close and the first to reopen," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a joint statement on Monday.
As of today, primary and secondary schools are shuttered in 19 countries, affecting over 156 million students.
Read:Narayanganj fire: Unicef mourns death of children
Ahead of the Global Education Meeting on July 13, they urged decision makers and governments to prioritize the safe reopening of schools to avoid a generational catastrophe.
“Closing schools mortgages our future for unclear benefits to our present. We must prioritize better. We can reopen schools safely, and we must.”
“In their efforts to limit transmission, governments have too often shut down schools and kept them closed for prolonged periods, even when the epidemiological situation didn’t warrant it," said Fore and Azoulay.
These actions were frequently taken as a first recourse rather than a last measure.
In many cases, schools were closed while bars and restaurants remained open.
“The losses that children and young people will incur from not being in school may never be recouped," they said.
Read:Dhaka conveys protests to UK over human rights report
From learning loss, mental distress, exposure to violence and abuse, to missed school-based meals and vaccinations or reduced development of social skills, the consequences for children will be felt in their academic achievement and societal engagement as well as physical and mental health.
"The most affected are often children in low-resource settings who do not have access to remote learning tools, and the youngest children who are at key developmental stages," said Fore and Azoulay.
The losses for parents and caretakers are equally heavy, they said adding that keeping children at home is forcing parents around the world to leave their jobs, especially in countries with no or limited family leave policies.
“That’s why reopening schools for in-person learning cannot wait," said Fore and Azoulay.
They said it cannot wait for cases to go to zero and there is clear evidence that primary and secondary schools are not among the main drivers of transmission.
Read:Ensure reproductive health rights of all: UN chief
"Meanwhile, the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools is manageable with appropriate mitigation strategies in most settings. The decision to open or close schools should be based on risk analysis and the epidemiological considerations in the communities where they are situated."
They said reopening schools cannot wait for all teachers and students to be vaccinated.
"With the global vaccine shortages plaguing low and middle-income countries, vaccinating frontline workers and those most at risk of severe illness and death will remain a priority. All schools should provide in-person learning as soon as possible, without barriers to access, including not mandating vaccination prior to school entry," said Fore and Azoulay.
Huawei supports South Asia to cultivate 100,000 digital talents over five years
Jointly with the governments, universities, and industrial partners, Huawei will support South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal to cultivate 100,000 digital talents over the next five years, Huawei spokesperson said Thursday (May 20, 2021) at the Digital Talent Regional Summit online. Themed “Cultivating a Talent Ecosystem for Inclusive Digital Prosperity”, the summit brought together ministers and scholars from the three countries, experts and representatives from UNESCO and the ICT industry, to explore collaborative initiatives for closing the digital skill gaps and facilitating the digital transformation in the post-pandemic economic recovery.
From Bangladesh, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the State Minister for ICT; Prof Satya Prasad Majumder, Vice-Chancellor of BUET; and Beatrice Kaldun, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh were present among other and shared their insights.
Read Huawei Carrier Congress 2021 begins in Bangladesh“We believe the talent ecosystem is the cornerstone of the economic recovery and a long-lasting digital future. However, the lack of digital skills is one of the biggest challenges facing many countries,” said Jay Chen, vice president of Huawei Asia Pacific at the summit.“In the next five years, Huawei expects to develop more than 100,000 ICT talent and build a vibrant digital talent ecosystem in this dynamic region, especially Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.”The ministers appreciated the initiative of Huawei to support the government in providing ICT solutions and training the digital talents.
Read Huawei to invest $220 million in cloud ecosystem for 2021”Now is the right time to create digital talent, along with the priority on digitalisation. The father of our nation said that the biggest asset of Bangladesh is the soil and people of the country. We are witnessing the reflection of those words in the present day. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is marching forward by fulfilling all the requirements of a developing nation, which have been possible for the efficient use of information and communication technology in all fields; consequently, Vision 2021 is being implemented,” Palak said.“We are confident that with the support of the private sector, we will be able to attain our goals within the specified time. Huawei has been working as a partner in various government initiatives to accelerate the country’s digitalisation process and upskill the youth,” he said.“With their support, our youth have the opportunity to learn about modern technology from industry experts. I strongly believe, such partnerships will contribute to the country's economic growth and prepare our youth to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” Palak added, according to a Huawei press release.
Read `Hire and Train’, a model that impresses IT companiesHe stressed that the digital transformation will bring dramatic changes in society, and it is vital to upskill the youth and reskill the current employees. The government, educational institutions, and private sectors should continue to collaborate on the digital talent ecosystem.Scholars and experts from the region participated in the panel discussion at the event explored the recommendations for addressing the talent challenges. They emphasized approaches to developing talent aligned with the digital vision.Prof Satya Prasad Majumder said the pandemic has reminded us of the need for continuous innovation in order to remain ahead of the curve by using technology. “This can be achieved only if we continue to nurture talent in the ICT sector. For that, ICT leaders such as Huawei and institutes of academic excellence like BUET need to continue working together like we have been doing so far, with the support of the government,” he said.
Read 35,000 modern digital labs to be installed to give more access to girls: PalakRepresentatives from the international organisation also emphasised the importance of closing the digital skills gap for sustainable development.“In order to cultivate a talent ecosystem for inclusive digital prosperity, we have to promote digital inclusion, mainstream digital skill developments, and foster digital-pedagogical transformation to ensure the quality of learning. Huawei is committed to this action and would like to build on its partnership with UNESCO, which started with the ‘TECH4ALL’ initiative in Africa, with the aim for global expansion. It is a long-term, digital inclusion initiative that targets empowering the world’s maximum population with essential digital skills,” said Beatrice Kaldun.During the pandemic, Huawei has cooperated with partners, including UNESCO, to provide digital solutions and online learning resources to students and professionals. Huawei plans to extend the digital talents cultivation initiatives and provide an end-to-end Huawei Talent Platform, which will help learners to improve their capabilities and assists them with career development by offering a one-stop service, covering the online course, examination, certification, and job seeking.
Read KOICA helped establish pillars of Digital Bangladesh: Zunaid Palak
World Book Day: Discovering the pleasure of reading
Book enthusiasts around the globe marked World Book Day on Friday, which falls on April 23 every year, without any festivity amid the pandemic.
Book lovers celebrated the day with their favourite paperbacks or digital editions.
Since its inception, it has been observed in different countries to raise public awareness about reading books, printing books, circulations, preserving copyrights of the writers-publishers and other aspects.
Read Develop the habit of reading: PM Hasina
Regarding this special day, UNESCO’s official statement says: “23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.”
“It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those, who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
“With this in mind, UNESCO created World Book and Copyright Day. The Day is celebrated by a growing number of partners and since its launch has shown itself to be a great opportunity for reflection and information on a significant theme,” the official statement stated.
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Each year, UNESCO and international organisations representing publishers, booksellers, and libraries select the World Book Capital for a one-year period. Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, has been selected as the World Book Capital for 2021.
Pandemic hits book industry
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Bangladesh - like the rest of the world - has experienced a dramatic drop in terms of garnering revenue from printed books, and the most unfortunate victim of the situation has been the recently concluded traditional Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2021.
Despite the odds, the number of online consumers has increased in recent times, just like the other e-commerce businesses. In addition to that, a large number of readers are also being attracted to e-books and audiobooks, both of which are seeing growing popularity in the western world.
Read A book fair unlike any other
From online-based book-selling platforms like Rokomari to well-reputed bookstores such as Bengal Boi, Batighar, Anyaprokash and more have been consistently utilising this opportunity to remain the bridge between the authors and the readers through online marketplace.
In terms of readers, although the general idea is that the number of readers has decreased over the years - there is still a good number of readers passionately continuing the practice and habit of reading.
This readership is not only being evaluated based on the number of readers of paperback editions, but the e-book phenomena too, which is now a more convenient option for many readers.
Read Best Online Book Selling Websites in Bangladesh in 2021
The best companion
"Books are the lifelong guardians, partners and friends that can have a positive effect on many things in our lives. A good book is also a great companion in times of our loneliness. During last year's pandemic and lockdown, people opted to pursue many positive and creative ways to battle against anxiety and depression, which, in my case, were my books," Masud Parvez Ove, debate facilitator and college teacher at South Point School and College told UNB.
Echoing the love of books and the importance of World Book Day, Tanisha Ahmed, a teacher at Lakehead Grammar School, Dhaka and an English literature graduate from East West University, said: "Marquee occasions like World Book Day remind us about the significance of reading as a lifehack.
“During my undergraduate years as a student of English literature, I came across reading some of the incredible literary creations which not only enlightened and delighted me as a reader, but also broaden my vision and perspective towards life.
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“Carrying those learnings forward, now I teach my students to be in love with books, which is undoubtedly the best companion to anyone."