Amartya Sen opens lecture series on well-being, social welfare

Professor Amartya Sen, while inaugurating a lecture series on individual well-being and social welfare, reminded participants that neither happiness, nor income, alone can define development, according to a press statement.

While both are important, the true measure lies in whether people enjoy the freedom and capabilities to lead lives they have reason to value, the Nobel laureate said, adding “We aspire to a world in which we genuinely want to live.”

Banglar Pathshala Foundation (BPF), a youth-driven intellectual and social platform in Bangladesh, in collaboration with Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) as its principal partner, inaugurated the “International Lecture Series #14: Individual Well-being and Social Welfare (IWSW)” on Saturday.

The event, held virtually with participants from 16 countries, marks the beginning of a six-month journey of 13 sessions exploring the intersections of economics, ethics, well-being, and social justice, inspired by Professor Amartya Sen’s capability approach and social choice theory.

Professor Amartya Sen attended the inaugural session as chief guest.

The opening session was also graced by Professor Rehman Sobhan (chair), alongside MTB Director Syed Nasim Manzur and MTB Managing Director & CEO Syed Mahbubur Rahman.

The keynote address was delivered by Oxford University Professor Sabina Alkire, who spoke on the capability approach and Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness. Distinguished panellists Swati Narayan and Dr. Sajeda Amin enriched the discussion by addressing the multidimensional nature of poverty, environmental degradation, well-being, and inclusion, particularly within the cultural contexts of South Asia.