By Nurunnahar Khatun
21 October, 2026
I find myself reflecting on a simple belief: every person deserves to live with dignity, regardless of where they were born, what they have, or how society defines their circumstances. Growing up in the chars made me understand that dignity is not only about how people are treated; it is also about whether they have the freedom and opportunity to decide what their lives can become.
Education opened new possibilities for me and reshaped my understanding of dignity. Joining Friendship’s Connected Schools programme in 2021 let me connect with peers in France and Luxembourg through virtual discussions and video exchanges. By sharing our cultures, everyday lives, and perspectives on climate change and environmental issues, I gained a broader understanding of global challenges and discovered that, despite our different backgrounds, we shared similar feelings and experiences.
Nurunnahar spoke about climate issues in Bangladesh at the European Parliament and talked about climate justice, environmental challenges, and the unequal ways in which climate change affects people around the world. © Friendship
Just two years later, I was selected to
participate in the European Youth Event (EYE) in Strasbourg. It was a surreal
moment for me; a char island girl sharing her journey at the European
Parliament. I had the unique opportunity to represent my community and my
country in an international space. I realised climate change is a question
connected to people, livelihoods, opportunity, and justice. After communicating
online for years, sitting together in the European Parliament with my Connected
Schools peers and talking face-to-face was something I will always remember. It
made the world I had previously experienced through a screen feel real and
interconnected.
I am currently studying in the second semester at the Asian University for Women (AUW) through the Pathway Programme with a full scholarship. For a student from an underserved community, it can mean having the freedom to imagine and choose her own future. Studying at AUW on scholarship has allowed me to continue my education in an environment where I can learn from people from different backgrounds, develop my ideas, and prepare myself to contribute beyond my own community.
I recently joined the Chattogram Hub of GlobalShapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, expanding my engagement in youth leadership, climate action and sustainable development. My journey now connects three different spaces: the riverine chars, the Friendship School that helped shape my aspirations, and the global classroom that I am preparing for. I am also a general member of Lal Sabuj Society, where I continue to engage in community and youth initiatives.
Being part of a community of young people working toward positive change has strengthened Nurunnahar’s belief that leadership should be rooted in service, inclusion, and respect for others, a lesson she learned as a Friendship School student.© Friendship
Meeting young people from different countries
showed me that dignity is universal. Our languages, cultures, and circumstances
may differ, but the desire to be respected, heard, and given a fair opportunity
remains the same. When people lose land, livelihoods, access to education, or
economic security, their dignity is also threatened. Communities should not
simply be seen as vulnerable populations in need of help, but as people with
knowledge, agency, rights, and the ability to shape their own solutions.
For me, dignity means recognising every individual’s worth and creating conditions where people can exercise their agency. My experience as a youth leader has shaped my understanding of leadership, not as speaking on behalf of people, but as creating opportunities for them to speak for themselves. This Global Dignity Day, I fondly remember what Friendship founder Runa Khan said: “People can live in poverty, but they cannot live without dignity and hope.” With that in mind, I hope to work at the intersection of economics, business, social development, and international cooperation in the future.