A rally involving Rohingya and local youths was held in Teknaf on Sunday to promote peace, harmony and social cohesion between the two communities.
The ‘Social Cohesion Rally’, themed ‘Together for Peace and Social Cohesion’, was held at the Youth Peace Café in Rohingya Camp-24 in Teknaf on August 30.
The event was organised under the programme ‘Youth-led Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion Initiatives in Bangladesh and Myanmar’ and brought together representatives of the Rohingya and local communities.
Camp-24 youth peacebuilder Md Adnan and Shanzida of ActionAid moderated the event.
At the beginning of the programme, Nazrul Hossain, project officer of the non-governmental organisation SHED, delivered the welcome address. Later, Camp-24 youth peacebuilders Abdur Rahman and Bibi Jan spoke on peacebuilding and social cohesion.
Camp-in-Charge of Camp-24, Khanzada Shahriar Bin Mannan, attended the event as the chief guest. He highlighted the importance of active youth participation in promoting peace and strengthening social cohesion.
Hnila Union Parishad member Rahama Akter spoke on behalf of the local community, while Camp-24 head majhi Md Alam represented the Rohingya community. Moin Uddin, a member of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), also addressed the gathering.
Speakers said social divisions could be reduced by promoting mutual respect, tolerance, communication and cooperation among people from different communities and cultural backgrounds. They stressed the importance of building mutual understanding and trust between the local and Rohingya communities to ensure peaceful coexistence.
The participants also discussed the role of young people in peacebuilding and strengthening social cohesion. They stressed the need to expand communication and cooperation between the two communities through various youth-led initiatives.
Later, participants read out a pledge on peace and social cohesion led by youth peacebuilder Md Irfat. Through the pledge, they expressed their commitment to mutual respect, respect for diversity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Representatives of ActionAid Bangladesh and SHED attended the event, along with representatives of youth-led organisations Embolden Bangladesh, Amal Foundation and YASID.
The organisers said the initiative’s main objectives were to increase interaction between local and Rohingya youths, celebrate diversity, and foster an environment of mutual trust and cooperation. They said such youth-led initiatives could help strengthen peace, harmony and social cohesion between the two communities.
The event concluded with discussions, the reading of the pledge and musical performances.
SHED implemented the programme with support from the European Union and ActionAid. Its central message was: ‘Celebrating diversity, building connections and promoting peace among communities.’
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
