The 2nd National One Health Youth Symposium in Bangladesh (2NOHYSBD) was successfully held on May 23–24, 2025, at the Journalist Liakat Ali Auditorium, Khulna University, marking another major milestone in the country’s growing youth-led One Health movement.

Building on the strong foundation of the first national symposium held in 2023, the second edition expanded the scope, reach, and impact of One Health engagement among students and young professionals. The two-day event brought together approximately 220 participants from across Bangladesh, including aspiring veterinarians, medical students, environmentalists, faculty members, researchers, farmers, and youth advocates.

The symposium was co-organized by IVSA Khulna Agricultural University (KAU) and IVSA Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU). It created an inclusive national platform for interdisciplinary learning, scientific dialogue, leadership development, and practical youth engagement around the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment.

Building on a Strong Foundation

The 2nd National One Health Youth Symposium represented the continued growth of One Health awareness among young people in Bangladesh. From a university-based initiative in 2023, the symposium evolved into a broader national platform that connected students, academics, researchers, professionals, farmers, and institutional leaders.

The event aimed to deepen undergraduate students’ understanding of the One Health concept, introduce them to real-world challenges, and empower them to become community-level champions of One Health principles. It also focused on increasing awareness of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, environmental health issues, food safety, and climate-linked health risks in the Bangladesh context.

Objectives of the Symposium

The symposium was designed with several key objectives:

• To enhance understanding of the One Health concept among undergraduate students from diverse academic fields

• To explore innovative solutions to One Health challenges in Bangladesh

• To familiarize students with One Health youth movements and interdisciplinary collaboration

• To empower young people to become community champions following One Health principles

• To increase awareness about zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental health issues

These objectives reflected the urgent need to prepare young professionals who can work across sectors and disciplines to address present and future health challenges.

Day 1: Scientific Seminar and Practical Workshop

The first day of the symposium began with an inaugural ceremony attended by the Vice Chancellors of Khulna Agricultural University and Khulna University, along with the presidents of IVSA PSTU and IVSA KAU.

A comprehensive One Health Scientific Seminar featured ten expert-led sessions delivered by national and international speakers. The sessions covered a wide range of urgent One Health issues, including antimicrobial resistance surveillance, dengue control, environmental health, pharmaceutical stewardship, One Health leadership, and youth mobilization.

Notable speakers included Prof. Nitish C. Debnath, National Coordinator of One Health Bangladesh; Dr. Pondpan Suwanthada, Regional AMR Project Officer, WOAH Asia-Pacific; and Mr. Madhusudan Kaphle, Founder of Nymat. Their sessions provided participants with valuable insights into global and regional One Health priorities, as well as practical examples of cross-sectoral collaboration.

The afternoon session focused on capacity building through a Scientific Paper Writing Workshop led by Abu Sayed, President of IVSA PSTU. The workshop introduced young participants to the basics of scientific writing, research communication, and publication-oriented academic thinking.

Day 2: Career Talks, Competitions, Leadership, and Innovation

The second day focused on career development, youth leadership, competitions, and practical innovation. The day began with an One Health Career Talk series featuring three sessions on career pathways in government service, higher education abroad, and opportunities in private organizations and NGOs.

A dynamic Rapid Fire and One Health Quiz Competition engaged participants for two hours, encouraging interactive learning and friendly competition. The program also included a Leadership Development Workshop, presentations on One Health approaches in private sector hospitals and clinics, and a real-world storytelling session on antimicrobial resistance prevention through the Model Poultry Village (MPV) initiative.

The afternoon also featured hands-on workshops on AI in research and presentation design using Canva, helping participants develop practical digital and academic communication skills. The symposium concluded with a Prize Giving Ceremony, where prizes were awarded by the Vice Chancellors of PSTU and KAU.

Key Scientific and Capacity-Building Sessions

The symposium included a rich set of scientific, professional, and youth-focused sessions, including:

• One Health in Practice — A Global Perspective

• AMR in Bangladesh: A Growing Concern

• AMR Scenario in Animal Health — WOAH Asia-Pacific Update

• Leadership in One Health Approach

• Integrating Environmental Health into the One Health Framework

• Higher Studies and One Health

• Dengue Control in Urban Areas — A One Health Approach

• AI in Research and Academics

• Scientific Paper Writing and Publication

• One Health Mobilization through Youth Engagement

Together, these sessions helped participants connect theoretical knowledge with real-life health challenges and practical action.

Institutional Visibility and Partnerships

The symposium ensured strong visibility for sponsoring organizations and institutional partners throughout the event. Partner organizations were represented through guest-of-honor speeches, technical presentations, logo placement on banners, festoons, printed materials, participant certificates, and crests.

Promotional booths, local and national media coverage, and live social media streaming through the official pages of IVSA KAU and IVSA PSTU further expanded the reach of the symposium. This wide institutional presence strengthened collaboration among universities, youth organizations, professional bodies, and One Health stakeholders.

Significance and Forward Momentum

The 2nd National One Health Youth Symposium in Bangladesh demonstrated the remarkable growth of youth-led One Health engagement in the country within just two years. By expanding the organizing partnership, increasing participation, and broadening the thematic scope, the symposium showed that Bangladeshi youth are not only future health leaders but active contributors to health systems, community resilience, and interdisciplinary problem-solving today.

The event also strengthened the national network of One Health youth advocates and created momentum for future collaboration, research, outreach, and policy engagement. As Bangladesh continues to face challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic disease threats, climate-sensitive health risks, food safety concerns, and environmental degradation, youth-led platforms like this symposium play a vital role in building awareness and action.

The success of the second national edition lays a strong foundation for the upcoming third edition and for a wider, more inclusive One Health youth movement across Bangladesh.

Press by: Abu Sayed

Contact for the Press: mail@ohyab.org