Md. Pervez Siddique

Founder and Executive Director, Films 4 Peace Foundation
Bangladesh
DTP is very close to my heart. My first international training was DTP in Timor-Leste, where I learned how video could defend human rights and document evidence for human rights violations. I realized I was born for using video to defend human rights and chosen for this role.

Pervez Siddiqui is the founder and executive director of Bangladesh’s Films 4 Peace (F4P) Foundation, a leading national peacebuilding organisation based in Bangladesh, committed to fostering a peaceful society through innovative and artistic activism, strategic communications, and research.

Pervez’s journey began when he participated in a DTP training course where WITNESS, one of DTP’s esteemed partners, provided sessions on how to use video in support of advocacy. The experience was a turning point for him, sparking a passion for social justice that would guide him for years to come.

“DTP is very close to my heart. My first international training was DTP in Timor-Leste, where I learned how video could defend human rights and document evidence for human rights violations. I realized I was born for using video to defend human rights and chosen for this role.”

Pervez Siddiqui is a true visionary who has dedicated his life to creating positive change in his community. After participating in the DTP training course, Pervez was inspired to establish a similar platform to WITNESS in Bangladesh. He saw the power of film to raise awareness and bring about positive change, and he was determined to use this medium to help those in need.

Moved by the plight of Bangladeshi migrants stuck in Libya during the Arab Spring and subsequent civil war, Pervez decided to take action. With the help of a friend skilled in filmmaking, he created a powerful documentary titled ‘BROKEN DREAM’. The film shed light on the struggles of these migrants and inspired many to take action on their behalf.

This was his first significant work, aiming to give a voice to the people deprived of human rights, to make those in Bangladesh aware, and to pressure the Bangladeshi government to take proper action to solve the crisis for those stranded Bangladeshi migrants. He then established F4P Foundation.

F4P Foundation has now trained more than 120 youths on participatory filmmaking, creating a grassroots movement that uses video for social change. These trainees have so far made 15-16 short films. Some of the trainees are now working as video journalists.

Recognising Pervez’s positive contribution to social change in Bangladeshi society through artistic activism, the United States Embassy in Dhaka nominated Pervez as part of the State Department’s prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Responding to a series of incidents of religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh in 2022, F4P urged the youth to stand against religious intolerance and make short films to promote religious tolerance. Some of these short films were screened by different NGOs in Bangladesh.

Pervez is now leading a campaign called ‘Cameray gathi shantir golpo’ (Sewing stories of peace through the camera). He is also working in Rohingya camps on the rights of the Rohingya community through participatory filmmaking to raise awareness. He also organised the first peace film festival in Bangladesh to inspire, engage and act to create a peaceful society.

Pervez has launched a new initiative to establish a Peace Center in Southeastern Bangladesh to promote peace and tolerance through artistic activism, education, culture, dialogue, media, and sports. The center will provide a library, cultural programs, workshops, and training for the youth and community. The aim is to empower individuals to become agents of change and promote peace and harmony in their communities. The initiative demonstrates F4P’s commitment to sustainable peace in Bangladesh and creating a safe and welcoming space for all people to come together and work towards a common goal.

Pervez’s unwavering determination to empower youth in every district of Bangladesh through participatory filmmaking training programs is rooted in his powerful vision to create a peaceful society. By equipping community youth with the skills and knowledge to become video content creators, he aims to cultivate a generation of “Peace Ambassadors” who will raise awareness on human rights, peace, and conflict through their compelling videos. Pervez believes that this pool of Peace Ambassadors with videography and video editing skills can serve as a “watchdog” of society, promoting peace and tolerance and preventing violence. With this visionary approach, Pervez seeks to create a sustainable and inclusive society that values human rights and peace.

View examples of Pervez’s documentaries and short fictions below.

March 2023

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