On the 21st of September, Preneur Labs organized the Tech for Peace Bootcamp at BRAC University, which was organized by BUCC (BRAC University Computer Club). The main goal of this event was to create a digital solution to achieve a form of peace in our society by using young entrepreneurs to build apps, web pages, browser extension and IoT.
The event started at around 11.30 am with the speaker Mr. Golam Muqtadir, project officer, Preneur Lab giving a speech where he welcomed the audience and introduced the whole idea of Tech for Peace, which is a project aimed to find solutions to different social issues through ideas developed by the young generation. He talked about how much of an impact a good and influential idea can actually put on the people of a country, especially in an era where information is seamlessly transferred through social media and other digital means.
Mr. Muqtadir further encouraged the audience by sharing his thoughts on how the ideas of the young generation can help to change the overall landscape of the social problems that we face in our country. The floor was then passed to Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman, Associate Professor of BRAC University. He started his speech by discussing how initiatives such as this boot camp can help students and encouraged them about peacekeeping. He talked a little bit about the positive and negative sides of technology and shared his opinion on how the youth who are using them actually control the outcome.
The next speaker, Kumrun Nahar, Project Coordinator, Preneur Lab talked about how Tech for Peace can help implement ideas by providing two months training followed by extensive marketing. The whole initiative was explained through slide presentations. Saiful Islam, Lecturer of BRAC University, encouraged the students to participate in such competitions and motivate peers to do the same. Annajiat Alim Rasel, Lecturer III and undergraduate course coordinator, CSE Department, BRAC University, illuminated the students by touching upon the benefits of such competitions and how it would help us in the future.
Syed Naimul Hossain, Business developer, Preneur Lab discussed on how to generate ideas for safeguarding youth violence which included networking, partnership from national and international organizations and such. He also showed his enthusiasm for promoting a roadshow in different universities to help the students make market-ready product. Touhidul Islam Swapon, Android Developer, Preneur Lab then took the floor and talked about wireframing and app-designing including how to plan and prototype. The session concluded with Priyanka Bose Kanta, Lecturer of Law Department, Dhaka University giving her insights of the importance of peacebuilding and thoughts on how violence must be eradicated from the root.
The volunteers of BUCC worked really hard Humayun Kabir, Md. Muyeed Shahriar, Maisha Farzana, Leonard Michael Gomes Dip, T.I.M Fahim Sahryer, Suraiya Rahman, Akash Chandra Paul, MD Ahmedul Karim, Khalid Saifullah, Arafe Zawad Sajid, Ahmed Bin Sabit for organizing everything as well as helping the guests . Mehedi Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahman Sharot, Asadur Rahman Risan, Sohanul Habib, Amanat Ullah Prottoy, Tarikul Islam, Tahsin Mostafa, Md.Muzahidul Islam Rahi, Adiba Mahbub Proma, Monamy Islam, S.Farhan Ahmed and Yousra Mehrin for volunteering the event.