IPYG conducted educational volunteering in India and Bangladesh in commemoration of the UN ‘International Volunteer Day’

 

 

IPYG conducted an educational volunteering in India and Bangladesh on December 5, 2023, in commemoration of the UN-designated ‘International Volunteer Day.’

Upon requests for a collaboration from youth organizations in India and Bangladesh, IPYG provided the Youth Empowerment Peace Class (YEPC). Particularly, the course ‘The Power of Youth,’ which contains stories of citizens who have successfully ended conflicts and achieved peace, provided an opportunity to instill courage in the youth of India and Bangladesh regarding their role in promoting peace.

 

 

IPYG collaborated with the ‘Society for Participatory Action and Reflection’ (SPAR) to conduct educational volunteering in the outlying areas of West Bengal, India, where educational opportunities are scarce. Following the educational activities, a program for unity was organized, creatively emphasizing the significance of individual roles in achieving peace for 105 young students.

In the Manipur region of India, educational volunteering was also carried out for over 70 young individuals. Through speech sessions, the youth discussed the need to prevent conflicts and preserve peace. The speeches highlighted the importance of not exposing children to war zones and emphasized the necessity of providing educational environments for the youth, receiving significant positive response.

 

 

Furthermore, in Bangladesh, the IPYG and the ‘Center for Communication and Development of Bangladesh’ (CCD) collaborated to organize an event in celebration of the International Volunteer Day. Held at the University of Rajshahi, the event featured a peace photo exhibition to emphasize the importance of peace. Participants in the event felt a direct connection between peace and life, expressing their desire to engage in peace activities starting from small efforts. They also expressed their intention to participate in various activities in the future through collaboration with IPYG. Going forward, IPYG plans to publish a peace newspaper for the youth in collaboration with the CCD, encouraging continued participation in peace-related initiatives.

The collaborative educational volunteering effort between IPYG and local youth organizations was a valuable time that aimed to raise awareness about the importance of peace activities among the youth in India and Bangladesh, encouraging voluntary participation.