This video features an interview with Dr. Shahida Khanom, CEO and founder of Women Cultural Empowerment International (WCEI), conducted by Dr. Emiliano Bosio. The discussion explores the intersections of women’s leadership, heritage conservation, and global citizenship.

Key Highlights and Insights:

• Personal and Professional Journey: (0:45 – 2:07) Dr. Khanom discusses her transition from Bangladesh to Canada, her seven-year tenure as a Culture Specialist at UNESCO, and her early career in environmental science.
• Transformative Academic Experience: (2:42 – 5:40) She reflects on her masters in Thailand as a “first-generation” female scholar. She highlights the importance of academic mentorship and developing cultural intelligence to bridge gaps between different global perspectives.
• Critique of Education Systems: (6:24 – 7:38) Khanom critiques the Bangladeshi education system for its heavy reliance on memorization and private tutoring, advocating instead for more analytical and open pedagogical approaches.
• Founding WCEI: (7:50 – 10:39) She shares that her drive for skill-based leadership was inherited from her father. This legacy led her to establish WCEI to foster cultural resilience and empower women globally.
• Heritage and Community Engagement: (10:49 – 14:36) She explains the unique “philosophy of conservation” in Asia, where natural and cultural heritage are inseparable from the community’s spiritual and daily rituals (14:01). She emphasizes the need for “heritage scientists” who understand local cultural sensitivity.
• Vision for Global Citizenship: (14:39 – 18:15) Dr. Khanom argues that heritage education is vital for identity construction. She defines global citizenship through three pillars: Human Rights, Cultural Empowerment, and Sustainable Development (18:07).

Conclusion: (18:20 – 19:35)

The interview concludes by reinforcing that cultural empowerment is a process necessary to move from basic rights to long-term sustainable development.