UNESCO launches Bangabandhu award on creative economy

UNESCO has launched an international award named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following Bangladesh’s proposal.

The UN agency’s executive board unanimously adopted the proposal on UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy in its 210th session on Dec 11, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said.

The UNESCO launches awards in recognition of contribution of leaders in several fields, such as education, culture, science and technology, with financial help of the member states.

This is the first time a UN agency launched an award named after Bangabanddhu, Momen said at a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday. It had launched 22 awards named after noted individuals or organisations.  

The award will create the opportunity to spread Bangabandhu’s ideals across the world and inspire the global cultural activists to contribute in the field of creative economy, said Momen. It will also play a “special” role in branding and image-building of Bangladesh, he added.

The award will be given every two years with $50,000 prize money – three times in six years. The renewal of the award will be discussed later.

The first UNESCO-Bangabandhu award is set to be given in the 41st session of the UNESCO’s general conference in November, 2021.

Bangladesh proposed the award in August 2019.