The Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ) of Brac University launched Women Peace Café at Begum Rokeya University Rangpur on 10th of March 2019 under Empowered Women, Peaceful Communities Project with support of UN Women.
The establishment of Women Peace Café is an innovative and pioneering initiative to engage young female students in promotion of peace and cohesion in the society. This Women Peace Café will work as a platform as well as incubation centre for one hundred and sixty one female students of BRUR who recently completed 3 –day training on Entrepreneurship Skills organized by CPJ under this project. This cafe will empower young women through nurturing innovation for social entrepreneurship development promoting peaceful, cohesive and prosperous Bangladesh.
The Café was jointly inaugurated by Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh, Prof. Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Vice Chancellor of BRUR, and Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE, Executive Director of CPJ, Brac University in a ceremonial and festive mode. The chief guests, guests of honour and other guests inaugurated the Peace Café by releasing pigeons and opening the Café office for students. Dr. Samia Huq, Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Brac University dignified the occasion as guests of honour while Muhammad Badiuzzaman, Research Coordinator of CPJ and Coordinator of this project was also present. The establishment of this Café is an outcome of a project jointly implemented by CPJ of Brac University and Dr. Wazed Research and Training Institute of BRUR with financial support of UN Women Bangladesh. To be noted that CPJ is implementing this project in two public universities; Begum Rokeya University Rangpur and Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensingh since June 2018.
On this memorable occasion, Women Peace Café of BRUR organised several events; a drawing competition on ‘Women for Peace, Cohesion and Prosperity’; collecting International Women’s Day pledges from students of BRUR, exhibition of drawings on “River of Life”, rally for celebration of International Women’s Day and a valedictory session where the designated guests discussed the importance of such kind of initiatives with the youths and in the regional universities outside the capital, Dhaka. The session was concluded by handing over the seed funds to the Women Peace Café members to bring their innovative business ideas into reality. In line with these activities a social media campaign was also initiated in Facebook to celebrate the launching of Café and International Women Day 2019.
The whole campus of BRUR was in festive mode where a large number of students and faculty members of BRUR participated. A team from UN Women, and faculty members of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensnigh were present in the event as designated guests.
A national colloquium will be held on 30th of March 2019 at BRAC Centre Inn where the findings and learning of the project will be shared with national and international level stakeholders and policy makers.