July Museum to guide nation whenever it loses its way: Yunus
July Museum bridges past and future, inspires a better Bangladesh, he also says.
Former interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus today (5 August) described the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum as the starting point of Bangladesh's new journey, saying the nation should return to the museum whenever it loses its way to rediscover its democratic ideals and future direction.
Speaking at a discussion titled "July 36" following the museum's inauguration, he said the museum will serve as a bridge between Bangladesh's past and future, inspiring future generations to uphold the spirit of the July Uprising and build a better nation.
"It has preserved the past instantly, but it has also created the future. It tells us who we are, what we wanted and what kind of Bangladesh we dreamed of building," Yunus said.
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He said the museum will serve as a guide whenever the nation faces uncertainty.
"If we ever lose our way, we will come here to find our path. If confusion clouds our thinking, we will rediscover our direction here and begin our journey anew," the former chief adviser said.
He said the institution is unlike conventional museums because it documented a defining chapter of Bangladesh's history almost immediately after the events unfolded. "There are many museums around the world that preserve objects from the distant past. This museum is different because it has preserved the memories, documents and artefacts of a historic event almost instantly," he said.
The Nobel laureate said the museum has created a new dimension in preserving the nation's history by connecting the past with the future.
He said the museum captures the aspirations and sacrifices of ordinary people, particularly young protesters who took to the streets hoping to build a new Bangladesh.
Referring to the handwritten farewell letter left by July uprising martyr Shariar Khan Anas, he said it reflected the courage and conviction of an entire generation.
Yunus urged young Bangladeshis to draw inspiration from the museum and contribute to building the country the martyrs had envisioned.
