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Bangladesh’s youth have shown a remarkable surge in political awareness, especially during the July 2024 uprising, a moment that underscored their passion for democratic engagement. Yet, this energy often collides with a lack of structured civic education and institutional access, leaving many young activists without the tools to meaningfully participate in or reform democratic systems. The gap between enthusiasm and institutional fluency remains a critical challenge.

To address this, CGS, in trusted collaboration with the German political foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), launched the Politics Lab: a dynamic space for short-term, high-impact civic learning and political dialogue. FES, with its longstanding commitment to promoting social democracy, pluralism, and inclusive political participation, shares CGS’s vision of empowering youth to engage constructively with democratic institutions. Through a series of workshops, participants engaged in hands-on training, interactive simulations, and direct conversations with experienced political actors, building capacity in areas like tolerance, accountability, and institutional navigation.

The Politics Lab fosters inclusive political engagement by bridging theory and practice. It empowers emerging leaders from youth political organizations and civil society to become informed, tolerant, and constructive contributors to Bangladesh’s democratic future. By reinforcing democratic values and mechanisms, the initiative reflects the shared mission of CGS and FES to cultivate a new generation of civic-minded changemakers.