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Young Arab Leaders (YAL) cordially invites you to its Ramadan Iftar on June 6, 2018 at the Dubai Opera, sponsored by Entourage Marketing & Events, of which YAL Member Mohammed Tayem is the Founder and Managing Director. Mohammed Tayem is also the Founder and CEO of the Tayem Group. Ramadan Iftar is exclusive to YAL members; Register here for an insightful evening in the Holy month of Ramadan.

PAST EVENTS & INITIATIVES

Young Arab Leaders (YAL) organized a Power Lunch with Najeeb Al Ali, Executive Director of Expo 2020 Bureau on May 3, 2018. Najeeb enlightened the attendees on the progress being made towards delivering Expo 2020, envisioned to be a platform for innovation, technology and culture to bring the world together.

The 'Driving Innovation in the Technology Industry' Conference was a successful collaboration by Young Arab Leaders and Khalifa Fund, held at the Government Accelerators in Dubai on May 8 2018. It gathered subject matter experts and industry leaders who shared their highly valuable insights around technology and innovation.

YAL members had the great privilege to learn how Dubai is being led towards Tourism Vision 2020 in an Executive Meetup with Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing on May 9, 2018. The attendees got to know how Dubai is showcased to the world as the first choice for International travel.

It was a full house with over 50 attendees at a seminar titled 'Getting Into Your Top Choice US Universities: What Parents Need to Know', organized by Young Arab Leaders and IvyWise. Dr Kat Cohen, Founder and CEO of IvyWise put forward an insightful presentation as to how various components make a good University Application

Nabra Al Busaidi, Executive Director of Young Arab Leaders, was part of the seasoned panel of judges at the 1st Ibtikar Competition, organized by the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), which saw 21 wonderful teams of ambitious Arab youth compete in the initiative inspired by the ‘Shark Tank’ style entrepreneurship competition.

Young Arab Leaders is proud to be a supporting partner for the 4th Edition of the 'Arab Women in Leadership and Business (AWILB) Summit'. The two-day summit from April 25-26, emphasized on the role of women in modern communities and in national development. Various sessions facilitated knowledge-exchange, critical thinking and networking.

Innovation was commonplace at the ArabNet Digital Summit as it brought together thought-leaders, executives, young professionals, government leaders and entrepreneurs - all under one roof in, in its sixth edition with 6 forums extending over two days - from 30 April to 01 May 2018. YAL is glad to be a community partner for the summit.

YAL CHAIRWOMAN'S MESSAGE

The Holy month of Ramadan is once more upon us. On behalf of the entire Young Arab Leaders (YAL) family, I fondly extend my best wishes to you for a blessed month. The peaceful month of Ramadan is one of reflection, spiritual devotion and sharing. It reminds us to appreciate our blessings and give back to our communities.

We join Muslims around the world in fasting, charity, and acts of kindness as we pray for the betterment of the world and celebrate our faith. During this holy month let’s ask ourselves how we can find solutions for people with the most urgent needs wherever they live, and what we can do to impact people’s lives. Is there a particular cause that you are passionate about? Focus on that; Every small act can make a big difference.

May our communities receive the profound rewards and blessings of Ramadan.

WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBER

Hadi Malaeb, Vice President of Conferences and Events at Haykal Media is YAL's Newest Member. Hadi is a keen strategist with a passion for starting up businesses and leading change in established ones. Having lived and worked across four continents, he has a multifaceted skill set, coupled with an earnest belief in empowering Arab youth to co-create impactful Solutions. Hadi is an avid advocate of the power of exhibitions and conferences to bridge cultural gaps.

MEMBERS OF THE MONTH

Reim El Houni is te CEO of Ti22 Films has won the New York Festival’s World’s Best Television & Films Bronze World Medal in the Corporate Image Category for Internal Use. The winning entry and celebratory film was the centrepiece of DAFZA's anniversary celebration. Furthermore, Reim has keenly contributed to the direction of a promotional video featuring YAL Members.

Ned Jaroudi, YAL Board Member and Senior Advisor Innovation at Expo 2020 was on the disitnguished panel of speakers at the 'Driving Innovation in Technology Industry' Conference organized by Young Arab Leaders and Khalifa Fund, on 08 May 2018. Ned emphasized on the relevance of creative innovation in business processes and solutions, amid ever-intensifying market competition.

BOARD MEMBERS' INSIGHTS

Muna Al Gurg, YAL Chairwoman and Director of Retail of Al Gurg Group, was interviewed as part of a Podcast series called 'When Women Win', wherein Muna shared her drive for self-improvement which has shaped her path in business and philanthropy. Listen to the full podcast here.

Furthermore, a commentary article by Muna, on Gender (IM) balance in Gulf Societies was published in Oxford University’s Gulf Affairs Journal. Muna put forward a case study of the UAE's ongoing efforts toward Gender Balance and outlined lessons that can be taken forward. Access it here.

Majed Al Suwaidi, YAL Board Member and Managing Director of Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City and Dubai Production City, was featured in an interview by Gulf News. According to Majed, Dubai has the infrastructure and state-of-the-art technologies needed to meet the growing demand for digital content in the region. He also shared many other valuable insights, all of which can be viewed here.

MEMBERS' INITIATIVES

GreenBox, a product of InfoFort’s innovative sustainability initiatives led by InfoFort CEO and YAL Member, Abed Shaheen, is a 100% free service that involves the setting up of 100% environmental friendly boxes at client offices for the collection of paper waste. GreenBox teams then periodically empty the filled boxes and recycle the content. The ultimate innovation is in how it is made easy for clients to receive automated monthly environmental statements on the weight of paper recycled, gallons of oil and water saved, and the volume CO2e offset. Click here to join or know more about GreenBox.