On 28 March 2026, at the CIES 2026 Conference, Kazi Ferdous Pavel, Senior Joint Director and Head of Education Policy Unit at IID, virtually presented a study on how youth-generated graffiti in Bangladesh reflects evolving civic narratives and their implications for education.
The study is grounded in the July 2024 movement in Bangladesh, which began as a student-led protest and expanded into a broader national mobilisation around inequality, governance, and justice. During this period, graffiti emerged as a powerful form of public expression. While initially centred on protest, IID observed a notable shift—graffiti increasingly reflected themes of inclusion, dignity, equity, and social transformation. These expressions indicated that youth were not only responding to political events but also articulating a broader vision of the Bangladesh they aspire to see.
Titled “Contested Narratives in Education: Citizen Voices, Graffiti, and Curriculum Debates in Bangladesh,” the presentation was delivered virtually at the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2026 Conference. The study drew on analysis of over 100 graffiti pieces and a participatory engagement with 32 youth from 24 districts, where individual expressions were collectively interpreted and synthesised.
Building on the study, IID has translated these insights into the Youth Manifesto 2025, which has been used as an advocacy tool to bring youth voices into policy dialogue. The manifesto has been shared with political stakeholders during the pre-election period and continues to be presented to government representatives, including Ministers and Members of Parliament. At the same time, youth-led district action plans are being implemented nationwide to localise these demands. Moving forward, IID aims to further bridge citizen expression and policy engagement, ensuring that youth voices remain central to shaping a more inclusive and participatory education system.
The presentation was delivered under the “Peace Education and Community Voice” session, chaired by Yulia Nesterova (University of Glasgow). The session brought together researchers and academics from institutions including McGill University and University of the Philippines Los Baños, among others, contributing to broader discussions on education, community voice, and social cohesion in diverse contexts.