Climathon Dhaka empowers youth to build sustainable future
The Climathon, a hackathon focused on regional climate challenges, drew Bangladesh's brightest minds in climate advocacy, sustainable entrepreneurship, academia, and policymaking.
GenLab, a social think tank, led the event as the core country curator of Climathon Dhaka, part of a global initiative by EIT Climate-KIC, a European Union entity dedicated to climate innovation.
The two-day event held on 16 and 17 February brought together young individuals aged from 18 to 30, for discussions, workshops, and sessions on developing sustainable business models.
Participants presented their climate solutions to a jury panel, with "Climate Readiness: Creating a Sustainable and Resilient Dhaka" as the thematic focus.
Sessions included expert interaction with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representatives and a policy dialogue featuring Ainun Nishat, former vice-chancellor of BRAC University, discussing climate impacts on livelihoods, agriculture, and sea level rise.
Mubin Sadman Khan, deputy editor of The Business Standard, was also present as a fellow speaker at the event.
GenLab, partnered with The Daily Star, Keeron, and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, aimed to inspire youth leadership towards a greener and safer Dhaka.
Edwin Koekkoek, EU team leader for Green Inclusive Development, presented EU climate policies in terms of mitigation and adaptation.
Nayoka Martinez-Bäckström, first secretary (environment and climate change) at the Swedish Embassy, emphasised youth capacity building.
"The Embassy of Sweden prioritises climate in every form of diplomacy and we push forward the capacity of young people. Look at the secondary and tertiary sectors when you formalise your future," she said.
Astrid Herdis Jacobsen, green growth specialist at UNDP Bangladesh, highlighted cities' vulnerability to climate hazards but also their potential for solutions.
The top three climate solutions received awards during the closing ceremony, with the winning team gaining a boot camp offered by CrowdSolve.