The hall room was full of audience. Because of huge number of participants, there was held 2 shows. The festival was open by impressive speech of Swapan Kumar Das, the Principal of the Muktagacha College. Shahjahan Siraj, the coordinator of the festival explained the objectives and vision in opening session. Before screening it was explained briefly the contain and message of the documentaries. More than 700 students watch the documentaries in each session with the pin-fall silence.

10 documentaries was screed continuously in 2 sessions. It was started 11:30 A.M and finished 4:30 P.M. The session was started with the documentaries on “Millinium Development Goals”. However “World Child Report 2005 ( UNICEF)”, “One Lokman ( Out of Focus )”, “In Search of the Shade of Banyan Tree ( Drik )”, “Small Arms Big Problems ( TTP/ TVE, Cambodia )”, “Listen to the Children ( UNICEF/TVE )”, “Facing the Future ( TTP/TVE, Bangladesh )”, “Children of Tsunami”, “Price of the Youth ( WITNESS, Nepal )”, “Obijatra ( STD, Bangladesh)”.

Gabtoli College located 30 miniatures bus-far from the Muktagacha Thana town. The big institute is surrounded the green crops field. The innocent students were very curious from the beginning. The show was opened by Mutalaf Hossain, professor of sociology. The festival coordinator give message to the students on ICT, Youth Participation and Contemporary Issues. The show was started by the documentaries – “Children of Tsunami”. And it continues with – “Story of HIV Positive Lives ( FHI )”, “Shima ( Out of Focus )”, “Listen to the Children ( UNICEF/TVE )”, “Facing the Future ( TTP/TVE, Bangladesh )”, “Price of the Youth ( WITNESS, Nepal )”, “Obijatra ( STD, Bangladesh)”.

Teachers and students together watched the documentaries. Almost 600 hundred students and youth came from the villages enjoyed the shows. The audience appreciated and highly demand to show documentaries on “Drug Abuse”, “Gender Violence” and “Early Marrige” in Bangla.

The documentaries on HIV/AIDS, Acid Victim, and Tsunami were highly appreciated. During show the “evolution form ”, “festival sticker” and postcard on “Truth Taking Project ” have distributed to the audience. The common requested from the audience is to organize the festival every year and cover more schools and colleges. It is also requested to include the documentaries on the social problems and issues particularly on the subject – “Drug Abuse”, “Gender Equality”, “Global Culture” etc. It is also suggested both from teachers and students to establish a “Local Media Center” where the students and youth will get regularly access to watch the documentaries on life issues and problems.

My experiences, “I am very impressed and moved to see the huge participation and cooperation. I understand beyond the educational curriculum it is very needed ICT education to the Grassroots youth. However visual and multimedia presentation are effective for quick result. In the region there is no any community media center, or knowledge center or telecenter. Children and youth are learning with struggle by their own initiatives. Privileged are wining in the struggle and the digital divide, information and opportunity gap are becoming more sharp which are not favorable for the future leadership and development. I believe a small “Grassroots Media Center” can make bridge and open the gate for Access to information and opportunities for local people.

To tell truth, we knocked to a number of development agencies for small support, but could not get. At last in limited time and resources we organize the festival with self-finance and local contributions. I have confidences, in the year 2006 we will be able to organize the festival more widely with collaboration.

End of September 2005 the festival will be held at Chittagong area.

Shahjahan Siraj
Festival Coordinator ; 26 August, 2006