Dhaka, Sep 27 (bdnews24.com)— Bishwo Shahitto Kendro has been selected for one of UNESCO's most prestigious awards, the Jan Amos Comenius Medal, for outstanding achievement and innovations in the field of education.
Chairman of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro's trustee board, Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed will receive the award on Nov 26 at the 48th Session of the International Conference on Education in Geneva. Unesco director-Ggeneral Koichiro Matsuura will preside over the ceremony.
Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, which works to promote reading habits among students and the general public, is the only organisation to get the award this year.
The Kendra was initiated in 1978 and registered as a public welfare trust in 1980, with a five-member trustee board headed by Sayeed.
The centre's main activities are aimed at exposing the public to world literature by setting up library facilities in areas where there are at least one or two schools or colleges. Students are encouraged to read at least 16 quality books every year.
Prizes are offered to encourage reading. The centre's programmes include literary and cultural competitions, book discussions, screening of films, guest lectures and music programmes.
Funded by philanthropic donations and government grants, its activities are gradually spreading throughout the country.
Other Comenius Medal winners this year are nine individuals: Samira Al Saad of Kuwait, Prof Laila Ahmed Ei-Sayed Karam El-Din of Egypt, M Daniel Fernando Filmus of Argentina, Prof Phillip William Hughes of Australia, Prof Dr Basu Dev Kafle of Nepal, Onerva Maki of Finland, Mamadou Ndoye of Senegal, Sylvia Irene Schmelkes Del Valle of Mexico and Prof Tirussew Teferra of Ethiopia.
The Czech Republic and UNESCO established the Jan Amos Comenius Medal in 1992 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the birth of the great educationist.
It is intended to acknowledge the work of those educators who have made a significant contribution to the development or renewal of education.
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