Saima Wazed Hossain to attend UNESCO award giving ceremony in Paris

Saima Wazed Hossain, who spearheads the mental health campaign in Bangladesh, will attend a UNESCO prize-giving ceremony at the UN agency’s headquarters in Paris.

Hossain, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was earlier elected Chairperson of the International Jury Board of the “UNESCO/Emir Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities” award for the next two years.

The ceremony will be held on Dec 2, to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Ashraful Alam Khokan told bdnews24.com.

Hossain, better known by her nickname Putul, is Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh, and also Shuchona Foundation that works on mental health issues. She is also a member of WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on mental health.

The Prize recognises the outstanding contributions of individuals and organisations in promoting the inclusion and enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities through the application of digital solutions, resources and technologies.

Each of the awardees will get $20,000 each.

At the event, Putul will also participate in a high-level panel discussion with international experts working in this particular subject area, the PM’s deputy press secretary said.