Connected communities: Seven Parami students bring local impact to the global stage at GetEngaged 2026

Nang Kham Thaung presenting her project at the 2026 Get Engaged Conference

Seven Parami University students participated in the 2026 Get Engaged Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference, held at BRAC University’s School of General Education in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from June 12–19, 2026. The conference brought together 52 student emerging changemakers from 15 countries to present civic engagement projects, exchange ideas, and receive feedback from peers and staff advisors.

As part of a year-long civic engagement fellowship, the experience extended beyond a traditional conference format—beginning with pre-conference project work, continuing through the intensive week in Dhaka, and extending into post-program implementation. Throughout the week, students showcased their projects, engaged in cross-cultural dialogue, and strengthened their initiatives through constructive feedback and collaboration.

For participants, Get Engaged became a space to test ideas, deepen reflection, and better understand leadership in complex and evolving contexts. One of the collective insights among the participants was that leadership is less about absolute certainty and more about the humility to listen, learn, and adapt alongside communities facing complex challenges. 

Parami students and students with other student participants

Listening, Leadership, and Connection

For A.R., whose project Empowering Rohingya Women through Digital Literacy provides small-group training in digital skills, computing, and online tools to 140 women in refugee camps, dialogue is rooted not in formal exchange but in active listening and thoughtful questioning that build lasting relationships.

Ciin Deih Lun reflected on self-conscious leadership, where even small actions—such as a smile or attentive listening—shape trust and influence. Her initiative, Hands Spreading Seeds, is an education initiative helping over 45 young people in Myanmar rebuild their academic paths through workshops, digital training, and peer mentorship.

For M.J., whose project, Rohingya Youth Tech Network, runs twice-weekly digital literacy and computing workshops for 150 Rohingya youth in Cox's Bazar refugee camps, leadership is sustained by consistency rather than resources and begins with what one already has.

Leadership as Action, Not Status

Nang Kham Thaung emphasized that leadership is not defined by scale or resources but by existing knowledge, skills, and networks. Through her project, The Little Step—a bilingual mentorship initiative empowering 60 Pa-O youth in Myanmar through academic English, digital literacy, and scholarship coaching—she plans to lead monthly educational workshops and a three-month mentorship program for Pa-O ethnic and monastic students.

Saw.A. highlighted collaboration, open-mindedness, and active listening as key drivers of impact in resource-constrained settings. His project, Rohingya Inspiration Network (RIN), empowers over 1,000 Rohingya youth, women, and community members in Cox's Bazar refugee camps through leadership, human rights, and advocacy training, and he plans to use insights from his conference to further strengthen this community work.

Networks, Adaptability, and Global Citizenship

For M.H., connecting with like-minded changemakers was one of the most valuable aspects of the conference, reinforcing resilience and shared learning amid global uncertainty. He plans to apply adaptive leadership to his project, Youth Empowerment Workshops on human rights, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and leadership, which serves 80 Rohingya youth in Cox's Bazar through intensive workshops covering these topics.

Khant Razar Kyaw reflected on engaging with peers from different countries and expanding his understanding of civic engagement. He will continue his initiative, Borderless Futures, which reaches over 800 conflict-affected high school students in Myanmar to help them access higher education and develop leadership skills, while looking to expand partnerships with international collaborators.

From Reflection to Continuity

The coordinator highlights how the program moves from reflection to continuity, ensuring that learning and engagement extend beyond the conference into sustained action.

“GetEngaged is more than a conference; it is a structured, reflective process where students examine past actions, current work, and future commitments through action-oriented dialogue that turns discussion into real-world problem-solving,” said Aung Myin Thu, Director of Admissions & Student Affairs at Parami University, who joined the conference as a chaperone. 

For Parami University, the experience reinforces a central theme: youth leadership is defined not by scale or resources, but by consistency, connection, and the willingness to act on what matters.