Global youth summit in Bangladesh calls for unity

By Sorwar Alam

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh

A global youth summit in southeastern Chittagong city has urged young people from around the world to unite their voices for the oppressed.

Fourth Global Youth Summit in 2017 was held at the International Islamic University of Chittagong on Monday that saw participants from around the world.

University Vice Chancellor A.K.M. Azharul Islam said Muslims around the world were passing through a very critical moment. He urged the Muslim youth that “this is the right time for you to lead the world for peace and prosperity”.

He said that Muslim youth should prepare themselves to address the current humanitarian and moral crisis as well as Islamophobia.

Head of the university’s Student Affairs A.Z.M. Obaidullah called for unity among youth all over the world without regard to religious, political and ethnic identity.

“Let’s get united against oppression, let’s get united to uphold human rights, to protect the suppressed humanity of the world, let’s get united to keep the interests of our global community beyond our religious, cultural and national interest,” he said.

The summit brought together 250 youths from around the world and was co-organized by Bangladesh’s South Asian Youth Association and Turkey’s Federation of the International Students Associations.

The Bangladeshi association’s Chairman Al Mamun Rasel said: “We always stand with the oppressed people, from Somalia to Myanmar and from Palestine to Syria.”

Turkish federation’s Mehmet Gunduz said the youth were ambassadors of their countries.

Representatives from Nepal, Syria, Somali, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nigeria, China, U.S., Malaysia and Myanmar also gave speeches at the event, and described their countries current situation.

Ziaul Haque from Myanmar spoke about the oppression against the Rohingya Muslim community in the country’s Rakhine state.

He said the Rohingya were the most oppressed community in the world. “Last month they confiscated Rohingya land and closed three mosques… Since 2012, the Rohingya Muslims can’t attend schools and colleges in the Rakhine state,” he said.