DHAKA, Sept 25, 2021 (BSS) - The fifth installment of the Joy Bangla Youth Award (JBYA) has called for entries from the youths and youth organizations that transformed communities through social initiatives.
The invitation for applications has commenced on September 24 and will wrap up on October 23, said the award's organizer Young Bangla, the youth Secretariat of ruling Awami League's research wing Centre for Research & Information (CRI).
The award is designed to recognize countrywide young changemakers, help them network among themselves and enhance the services they are already providing to their communities.
Since its inception in 2014, Young Bangla has been conferring Joy Bangla Youth Award to the youths and youth organizations successfully involved in changing the social paradigm in their respective areas.
Speaking on the impact of the award, 2018-JBYA winner Sadat Rahman, who later received International Children's Peace Prize-2020 for his initiatives to stop cyberbullying and violence against children, said, "Joy Bangla Youth Award helped me network with other young changemakers, get in touch with the country's policymakers, and groomed me for more impactful service to my community that earned me the international award that I received from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai."
This year JBYA, named after the most iconic slogan behind the 1971-Liberation War of Bangladesh, Joy Bangla, features two new additions - an award conferring ceremony and lifetime achievement awards. Young Bangla will present Lifetime Achievement Awards to individuals who have significant contributions to the post-independent nation-building process through their leadership, service, initiatives, and research.
There will be 10 awards under two broad categories - Social Inclusion and Integrated Community Development.
Youth organizations working to improve the ability, opportunity, and dignity of marginalized and disadvantaged people through different initiatives can apply under 'Social Inclusion, which is split into six sub-categories - Women Empowerment, Child Rights, Empowering People with Disabilities, Empowering Marginalized People, Youth Development, Empowering Extreme Poor.
Youth organizations making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents, and dedication can apply under 'Integrated Community Development', which is divided into another six sub-categories - Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign, Environment and Climate Change Activity, Disaster Risk Reduction & Emergency Response, Health Care and Awareness, Education, Sociocultural Initiatives.
Young Bangla will also encourage university-based clubs working for the youth community within the university through community service, campaigns, and activities to apply for this award.
Lifetime Achievement Awards will be conferred based-on four criteria - Development Programmes and Projects, Public Policy, Research & Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Creativity.
