True leaders value diversity, empowerment, says Dutch Prince

Dhaka, July 13 – True leadership is no longer through a patriarchal figure who dictates everything and maps the way, but rather through people who value the power of diversity and will build off the creativity and knowledge of others, said Prince Constantijn van Oranje of the Netherlands.“True leaders are guardians of common values and ensure that people can contribute and grow. They also scout for diverse talents with different complementary skills, reflecting the societies and markets they operate in,” he said in his keynote address at the closing ceremony of BYLC Youth Leadership Summit.
The Dutch Prince urged the delegates of the summit to build their skills and develop their talents. “The government is not going to give you your dream. They might make it easier or tougher for you but at the end it’s your goal. So, you need to give it your all, and understand that leadership is about entrepreneurship and governance,” he said.
Attending the closing ceremony as its chair, Dr Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, said the delegates at this year’s Youth Leadership
Summit proved that the commonalities between people from different backgrounds are far stronger than the differences. “I believe that the young leaders of tomorrow who attended the summit will use what they learned to bridge the gap of differences through tolerance and acceptance,” he said.
BYLC Youth Leadership Summit brought together 370 university students and young professionals from home and abroad, competitively selected from over 1800 applications, along with reputed speakers, for three days of dialogue on pressing issues that affect young people. – UNB