Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) concluded their Youth Leadership Summit on August 7, 2021. The event was supported by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK. Through a number of planeries and workshops, the summit facilitated an intergenerational dialogue on issues and challenges that limit the youth's inclusive participation in public, private, and civil sectors.

The closing ceremony brought together a number of noted speakers who went through the delegates' vision and action plan in order to build an inclusive Bangladesh. The session was moderated by Ejaj Ahmad, Founder and President, BYLC. The other speakers included Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Nahim Razzaq, Member of Parliament, Bangladesh National Parliament and Founding Convenor, Young Bangla.

Ejaj focused on the importance of developing listening skills in order to bridge differences between communities. He also emphasised on speaking with empathy for understanding people with different opinions. "In order to build an inclusive Bangladesh, these two skills are crucial and these would help us work together towards development," he shared.

While addressing delegates, Nahim urged young people to actively engage in policy advocacy to promote youth-led action that can drive positive changes and development in the country. "Being a politician, I would encourage the youth to voice their opinions about issues concerning them and their community. If we work together on policy advocacy and youth-led action, we can make changes happen," he said.

Additionally, Robert stressed on the fact that young people have an instrumental role to play in the world as powerful agents of social change, and they should be given the opportunities to engage and become leaders of tomorrow. "We need to provide young people with the means to put forward their solutions and exercise leadership," he added.

The last day of the summit also consisted of a networking session where delegates got to know each other by answering a common question. During the course of the summit, the young delegates reflected on the accomplishments of Bangladesh, over 50 years. They also shared their vision for the future of the country by developing an action plan.

Furthermore, the leadership sessions helped delegates identify their core loyalties and craft strategies to ensure an inclusive Bangladesh. They also learnt how to stay connected to their purpose to effectively exercise leadership.

The author is a medical student who likes reading, scribbling, and blogging. Email: mislammonamee@gmail.com.