Friendship, an NGO working as a social purpose organisation, observed its 20 anniversary in the country with the commitment to continue its endeavour to promote the development of the remote and unaddressed communities at the forefront of the climate crisis.

On the occasion, addressing a press conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in the city on Friday Friendship founder Runa Khan said that in times of global crisis, Friendship’s mission and values are as relevant and important as ever.

“Today I believe, because of its impact, this work has to be scaled up and replicated with quality and dependability,” she added.

She mentioned that an unprecedented climate disaster and a global cost-of-living crisis push millions into poverty all over the world.

Friendship began its journey with an innovation: a floating hospital in the shifting river islands (chars) of the Brahmaputra/Jamuna River, where conventional healthcare systems were impossible to operate.

Due to the temporal nature of the landscape, Friendship was forced to innovate from the outset.

Friendship started in 2002 guided by its vision of a world where people—especially the hard-to-reach and unaddressed—have equal opportunities to live with dignity and hope.

Runa Khan said the Friendship’s work has been driven by an uncompromising commitment to its code of ethics and core values of integrity, dignity, justice, quality and hope.

Following the press conference, Friendship’s Char Theatre performed an adaptation from its repertoire of plays that address social issues like child marriage, dowry and basic rights in char communities.

Along with these events, an exhibition was organised at the same venue, displaying the preservation of the wooden boats of Bengal, handcrafted slow fashion products produced by char women, dignity inspired artwork by Friendship schoolchildren and the award-winning buildings designed by architect Kashef Mahbub Chowdhury.

Marc Elvinger, Co-Chair of Friendship International, Salahuddin Ahmed, chair of the board of directors of Friendship Bangladesh, Friendship national and international chairs, board members and other senior members of the organisation attended the events.