By Raynald C Rivera
DOHA: The eighth annual Empower youth conference, organised by Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), officially opened yesterday under the theme ‘Innovation in Youth Social Entrepreneurship.’
H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson, ROTA, inaugurated the three-day conference at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Student Centre.
Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani; ROTA Board Member Dr Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh Al Thani; and Executive Director Essa Al Mannai were present.
“We are honoured to organise Empower 2016, a platform championed by youth to support youth. Year after year, the conference continues to empower youth and bolster their leadership skills, providing them with a platform to voice opinions on local and international issues,” said Al Mannai.
The conference has been generating much interest among young people around the world, with an increase in the number of applicants to over 1,400 from more than 60 countries this year, he said.
Distinguished Arab youth entrepreneurs, including Essam Heggy, Arab scientist working at Nasa; and Jehangir Malik, CEO, International Inspiration were present, along with Abdulrahman Al Romaihi, Aisha Al Naama, Maryam Al Thani and Mohammed Fakhro (all from Qatar), Firas Al Jarrah, Saudi entrepreneur, and Lojain Alobaid, Founder, Tasami Foundation in Saudi Arabia.
The forum features panel discussions, keynote speeches, exhibitions, and group workshops. Topics such as crowdfunding, innovation in product creation, entrepreneurship and the power of social networking will be addressed.
Ghanim Al Muftah, Goodwill Ambassador, ROTA, said: “As my first mission as a ROTA Goodwill Ambassador, I visited a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon and met children and their families. I was able to see first-hand their difficult living conditions. I promised my new friends in Lebanon that I would do everything I could to help them build recreation facilities in their camp where they can play and exercise. I am delighted to announce that the fees paid to participate in this event will go towards this campaign. With everyone’s support and help, we can make this dream a reality.”
The conference also serves as a discussion forum, where participants will pitch and review solutions to increase the contribution of youth to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Qatar National Vision 2030, using the youth social entrepreneurship business methodology.The Peninsula
