The challenge invites young Bangladeshis to brainstorm and develop new solutions and produce new digital platforms using the existing technologies.
The final round will have the participating teams pitch their initiatives to a judging panel, a live audience and online audience streamed live and the winning team will be announced after an online vote today.
Up to $5,000 will be awarded to the best idea. Facebook, UNDP and Affinis Labs will work closely with the winning team for six months to support the realisation of prototype it creates during the competition.
Digital Khichuri has brought together 25 young Bangladeshis ranging from social entrepreneurs, programmers and grassroots leaders, designers, storytellers and students to develop platforms in which to promote the diversity, peace and tolerance in Bangladesh.
A first of its kind in South Asia, the three-day competition is co-sponsored by Facebook and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from Google and organised by Affinis Labs and Al Jazeera’s social media network.
“The Digital Khichuri Challenge is a special, unique event that celebrates Bangladesh’s rich, celebrated tradition of storytelling and history of coexistence and pluralism. Specifically, carefully selected teams will imagine and create new digital stories and online campaigns that can promote the strength of Bangladesh’s diversity and promote peace. The event will bring the nation’s brightest talents together for a three-day festival of thought turned into a call for action. Young Bangladeshis will write the script for a peaceful future where all ways of being are celebrated,” said Affinis Labs’ Creative Director Wajahat Ali.
On the inaugural day, a free workshop was organised for young contestants and others where representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter, Al Jazeera and UNDP Bangladesh presented the best practices and strategies used in social and new media and how they can be used in implementing new solutions.
Yesterday saw the competitors brainstorming and developing concepts and working with startup and technology mentors, building prototypes, iterating and refining prototypes at the venue.
Shah Imtiaz Hossain, a former North South University student, said that his team was working to create a mobile app for a blood donation database.
“The mobile app would include the database of blood donors across the country and help anyone who needs blood during an emergency,” he said.
Shahed Amanullah, the co-founder and director of Affinis Labs, said: “This is the first of its kind in South Asia, we have further plans to encourage rural Bangladeshi youths and engage them with such initiative in the future so that they can properly utilise inherent merit and creativity.”
Thursday, April 25, 2024
