CPS of SIPG and UNDP Bangladesh jointly organized the Digital Khichuri Challenge 2022 at NSU
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The Center for Peace Studies (CPS), South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) of North South University and UNDP’s Partnerships for a Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh (PTIB) project organized Digital Khichuri Challenge 2022 at NSU on 4 July, where five groups of youth participants presented their ideas in the hackathon. Titled “Pathway to Peaceful Societies: Catalyzing Youth as Responsible Citizens,” the hackathon aimed to find ways to create and ensure a safe and tolerant digital space for everyone. The Digital Khichuri Challenge, started in 2016, is a platform that enables young people to leverage digital means and tools to promote peace, tolerance, and diversity in Bangladesh as responsible citizens and further contributes to SDG targets 4.7 and 16.
Among the finalists, Team Digital Peace Keeper and team #TheFlipSide won the hackathon with their campaign ideas and would receive mentorship support to implement their plans.
The event was attended by His Excellency Espen Rikter-Svendsen, Honorable Ambassador of Norway to Bangladesh, Professor Atiqul Islam, Vice-Chancellor, North South University, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Van, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh, Professor Sk. Tawfique M. Haque, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Political Science and Sociology and Director, CPS, SIPG, NSU, Ambassador Shahidul Haque, Professional Fellow, SIPG, NSU, and Robert Stoelman, Project Manager, UNDP along with representatives from various national and international NGOs, faculties from NSU, and experts from the startup ecosystem.
“The theme for the DKCs is the promotion of global citizenship. Educational institutions are taking the responsibility that students are not just becoming academicians. Through events like this, we encourage the students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development and become responsible citizens who act to make our society more peaceful, fair, and sustainable,” said Nguyen Thi Ngoc Van, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh.
Professor Atiqul Islam, Vice-Chancellor, North South University, stated that “Most of the people spread misinformation in the digital space due to lack of knowledge, misunderstanding of the context and without verifying the source and credibility of it. So, the sensible and conscious youth must come forward with ideas and initiatives to stop such spreading of rumors and misinformation in the social media and digital space. This type of competition will help to reduce misinformation in the digital platforms that can ensure a tolerant society in Bangladesh,”.
This year, there will be six Digital Khichuri Challenges across the country where ICT Division, RedOrange Media and Communications, and BetterStories Limited are supporting as strategic partners and Barisal Youth Society (BYS), Chalkboard, and Peace Maker Studio as implementing partners. Additionally, these six DKCs will be organized in partnership with different host organizations, for example, educational institutions, national, and international organizations to expand the program and engage more diverse youth in peacebuilding.