THE AF MUJIBUR RAHMAN FOUNDATION WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE ANNUAL RUBY GHUZNAVI AWARD FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

The AF Mujibur Rahman Foundation would like to announce the Ruby Ghuznavi Award for Social Justice in memory of the Foundation’s late and beloved Chairwoman who died on 14th January 2023. Ruby Ghuznavi will be remembered in Bangladesh, in South Asia and internationally for her public service in different spheres of life, all of which were inspired by the two great passions of her life: her passion for social justice, for promoting dignity and respect of marginalized groups in the country and her passion for craft, the desire to keep alive Bangladesh’s wonderful traditions and promote respect and recognition for its craftspeople.

Her early work with the care and education of disadvantaged children as the Bangladesh director of Terre Des Hommes (Switzerland); her contribution to ensuring women in poverty benefited along with men in the country’s Food for Work programme after the terrible famine of 1974; her membership of Naripokkho, the women’s rights organization, since 1984, particularly her involvement in its work with the birangonas; her work with Transparency International’s Bangladesh Chapter; and her support for the AFMR Foundation’s support for marginalized groups in the country are all testaments to her passion for social justice.

Her passion for the crafts and those who produce it is evident in her involvement with many of the country’s most prominent craft establishments, including Karika, Aarong, Kumudini and then, since 1990, Aranya, the fair-trade organization whichshe established as a place where you could find the best of the products made by her network of craftspeople across the country. It was also the base where she dedicated herself to the pioneering project of reviving the ancient tradition of natural dyes using plants and flowers, a tradition that had all but disappeared in the face of competition from chemical dyes. She was generous with her knowledge, providing training in natural dye techniques to people within the country and across the region. She also devoted a great deal of energy in gaining international recognition for jamdani, the delicate woven handloom fabric unique to the country, holding exhibitions in Bangladesh and abroad and publishing on the topic. Along with a larger number of scholarly articles, she also published a number of books on these topics such as Naksha: Designs of Bangladesh and Rangeen: Natural Dyes of Bangladesh.

In 2013, her efforts bore fruit when the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. And, thanks to a campaign which she spearheaded, jamdaniwas granted Geographical Indication Status in 2016 by the World Trade Organization. This would allow the country to protect as its intellectual property the creative ingenuity and traditional knowledge of the local producers who wove jamdani.

Her status in the world of craft is evident in the various official positions she held within it: she was Honorary Member of World Crafts Council, Chair of the World Crafts Council – Asia Pacific Region’s Natural Dye Programme, a founding member of the National Crafts Council of Bangladesh and its Chair for a period of time, and Trustee of the Bengal Foundation.

The AF Mujibur Rahman Foundation wishes to honour her memory by offering an annual award to an individual or an organization selected for their outstanding contribution to the cause of social justice in any sphere of life, including crafts. The award will be Tk 3 lakhs for an individual and Tk. 5 lakhs for an organization. In recognition of her long-standing membership of Naripokkho, the women’s rights organization, the Board of the Foundation decided unanimously to give the 2023 award to Naripokkhoto support their documentation of the history of Bangladesh’s birangonas, a cause very dear to her heart.

Nomination process

The Foundation now invites nominations for the 2024 award for individuals or organizations to be submitted by 30th June 2024. Selections will be made by small committee consisting of eminent individuals working on social justice issues and nominated board members. The decision will be announced within the year.

Nominations can be made by individuals holding positions in the corporate sector, academic institutions and civil society organizations who are familiar with the work of the person or organization that they are nominating. Self-nomination by individuals or organizations will not be accepted. Nominations can be made in English or Bengali. Nominations should be kept confidential and not shared with the person or organization nominated. The nomination form can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website using THIS LINK and indicates what is required. Please send the completed nomination form to the following email address: ruby.award@afmrf.com