Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ), BRAC University and World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University jointly organized a national level conference titled ‘The Intersections of Faith and Development in Bangladesh’. The conference was held at a hotel in recently.
WFDD and CPJ have run a collaborative project since 2019 with a core focus on Social Cohesion, exploring the dimensions of faith and its implications on four critical development themes: Education, Gender and Social Inclusion, Youth, Media, and Communications, and Climate Challenges.
The opening session featured special guests H.E. Mr. Jan-Rolf Janowski, Charge De’ Affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dhaka and Professor Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University and Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue.
Professor Dr. Samia Huq, Dean of General Education and Research Fellow, CPJ, BRAC University delivered the welcome remarks.
She mentioned that faith is an integral part of understanding and expanding social cohesion. “Cohesive, deliberative and collective efforts are needed to enhance the role of faith in promoting the development of a nation’’- she added.
Janowski emphasized the importance of having conversations on faith with the right people, in the right format across the world to bring diverse communities together.
Professor Katherine Marshall highlighted that religion is one of the most important factors that affects all other areas of development. “It is important because it is often ignored or completely invisible in development related discussions and decisions”- she added.
The event consisted of four panel discussions and open discussion sessions with the participants. The first panel discussion session was titled ‘Faith and Education’. Dr. Sudipta Roy, Senior Researcher, WFDD moderated this session. Panel members included Dr. AQM Shafiul Azam, Director, Planning and Development Wing, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Bangladesh and Secretary, Bangladesh Accreditation Council at the Ministry of Education, Matius Ho, Executive Director, Leimena Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia and Professor Mahan.