Very few occasions happen in a person’s life that are remembered forever. For Khadem Samad Nitol, YES ’09 alumni, meeting U.S. Secretary of State, Hilary Rodham Clinton, in Dhaka is something he will never forget. On an official tour lasting only 22 hours, Secretary Clinton was kind enough to find time in her tight schedule to host an informal dialogue with youth leaders in Bangladesh.

Organized by the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, the event “Bangladesh er Sathe Adda” or “A Conversation with Bangladesh,” gave Secretary Clinton and youth leaders a chance to share ideas. Participating organizations were the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center and Volunteers for Bangladesh, two leading youth organizations funded by the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. Many state alumni members were present among the 300 participants, including 23 YES alumni. During the conversation, Secretary Clinton took questions from participants and gave her opinion or made suggestions on those issues. The event was telecasted live on the nation’s leading television channels.

Nitol, (pictured left with fellow YES alumni), says, “I am proud of myself for being one of YES Alumni to get an invitation to join this wonderful event. It is always great to listen to great personalities but it was also surprising for me to see how much concern Secretary Clinton has for the issues of our country and region.”  He continues, “When participants asked for suggestions regarding current issues our country faces, she spoke in such a way that showed her deep knowledge of the issues of this region. Hearing her ideas and learning her point of view was what I took away with me from the event.”