Brac Hope Festival 2023: A celebration of resilience and empowerment

The Brac Hope Festival was a celebration to remember. The event was a riot of colour, vigour, and enthusiasm that took place in the Bangladesh Army Stadium. The three-day ceremony marked the end of a yearlong commemoration of Brac's 50th anniversary as one of the biggest development organisations in the world. The celebration, which took place from February 9 to 11, brought together people from all occupations to celebrate Brac's remarkable achievements and to look forward to the future with anticipation.

The first day of the festival was a celebration of Bangladesh and Brac's extensive development network. The stadium was buzzing with excitement as visitors explored the various exhibitions, stalls, pavilions, and workshops displaying the different aspects of Brac's ecosystem. 

Children were especially in for a treat with interactive workshops, learn-with-fun zones, and an architectural workshop hosted by the Brac University architecture department. One of the highlights for children was the Play Lab, an innovative solution by Brac Institute of Educational Development (BIED) that focuses on indoor games for early childhood development. Children in cities often lack space to play, so the Play Lab provides scientifically proven games to boost their cognitive abilities. 

The cultural programme in the evening was the main attraction, with Fazlur Rahman Babu's "Puthi Path" performance combining poetry and music, and taking many back in time with its kerosene lamp on stage. Arnob and the band Lalon also performed, entertaining the crowd with folk songs and popular tracks.

The Brac Hope Festival's second day was packed with fun activities. The day's theme, "Power of People," emphasised people's capacity to alter their lives. Participatory workshops on a variety of topics were offered, such as rickshaw painting, urban gardening, robotics, and children's Play Lab. The audience took part in games that were run by several Brac environmental projects. Both Brac Institute of Educational Development (BIED) and Brac Seed produced events for children called "Worlds of Play."

The presentation by Brac Enterprises, which celebrated the success stories of its businesses, was one of the main draws. The triumphs of Brac Microfinance customers were also emphasised. Students from the Government School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired, PHT Centre, gave a demonstration of sign language. The crowd enjoyed the musical performance by the Jatrik ensemble, which was based on true accounts of bravery and optimism. A stunning fashion show by Aarong that honoured Bangladeshi culture and heritage marked the end of the second day.

The three-day Brac Hope Festival culminated in a lively celebration of poetry, music, and dance performances, participatory workshops, and discussions on climate change. The festival was a gathering of people from all occupations, with a special focus on young change-makers.

Five young innovators were awarded the "Amra Notun Young Changemakers Award," while the newly launched "Taaga Outstanding Young Professionals Award" was presented to three outstanding working women aged under 35.

Brac Executive Director, Asif Saleh was a speaker on the panel discussion on Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies. The festival also featured a screening of documentaries, including one by renowned British photographer Platon on Sir Fazle Hasan Abed and another on Brac International. The festival ended on a high note with captivating performances by Nemesis, Artcell, and James.

The Hope Festival was established with the goal of motivating Bangladesh's youth by sharing actual accounts of people who, on their own, changed their life for the better with only a small rekindling of hope. Brac witnesses the realisation of this conviction every day, from the front lines to the last mile. Each of the roughly 100 million people Brac works with—teachers, healthcare workers, business owners, artists, farmers, producers, and partners—is proof that optimism can triumph over adversity, from the heart of Bangladesh to the furthest corners of the world.