Research Model:
The research model for this initiative was built on extensive community engagement, involving hundreds of in-person and virtual meetings with individuals from urban, suburban, and rural areas across all 64 districts of Bangladesh. The shift to virtual platforms during the pandemic, while initially challenging, proved beneficial by broadening participation and making opportunities available to a wider cross-section of communities. Through these interactions, a key finding emerged: the rules and nuances of traditional games often vary significantly based on regional context and ethnicity. Parents frequently shared their efforts to teach these games from memory, observing that the rules and original intent of the play were gradually changing over time, underscoring the urgency for a standardized, archival record.

From an urban planner’s lens, I perceived this project as a crucial opportunity to bridge cultural preservation with the tangible aspects of community development and public space. My involvement was driven by the understanding that traditional games are not just abstract cultural practices but are deeply rooted in physical environments and community interactions. My key contributions included community mapping to identify specific locations, look for collaboration opportunities with other public agencies to increase community reach, and ensuring the long-term preservation and revitalization of these cultural practices as described by the stakeholders.