Beirut, October xx, 2019: Believing that women and youth are the smart formula to grow and develop the Lebanese economy, to create job opportunities and ensure sustainable creativity, the Women Leaders Council WLC, the first council in Lebanon within the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL), partnered up with the Changemaker festival, that has been empowering youth to become job creators than job seekers, on October 5 and 6, 2019, at District S, downtown Beirut, under the theme “Women and youth being the leaders of today”.
Taking women as a partner all the way, this year’s edition of the festival highlighted the role of women in business, while WLC showcased that women are today’s visionaries proved to be great mentors, investors and brilliant executors for youth dreams, innovation and creativity. They understand youth, empathize with them and have the patience to show them the way.
And all this was put in action through the festival’s highlights which are the trading hub, inaugurated by His Excellency the Minister of State for Information Technology Adel Afiouni and the President of Lebanon’s Socio-Economic Council Mr. Charles Arbid, showcasing women led businesses from various productive sectors in Lebanon and the workshops that revolved around uplifting business skills, wellbeing, leadership and self-development. In addition to the participation of WLC in all of these activities, it powered the 5k pitch panel, which is a competition where startups have to pitch their idea for a chance of winning 5k investment.
Within the Changemaker festival, the representative of the Prime Minister His Excellency Adel Afiouni and the President of WLC Mrs. Madiha Raslan awarded six Lebanese women who made a difference in different fields; during the Impact awards ceremony. Raslan gave the awards to Dr. Lina Zaim Dada in the sustainable living category, Dr. Najat Saliba in the environment’s sector, Hazar Caracalla for the inspiration category, Pricilla Elora Sharouk for entrepreneurship category, Hana Choueib for her contributions in the healthcare sector, Lea Baroudi for peace building and Mayyas Group for being changemakers in their community, and one-of-a-kind Lebanese band, who has put Lebanon on the international map of creativity.
Commenting on the festival, the President of WLC, Mrs. Madiha Raslan said, “The Changemaker festival thankfully gave us a fresh perspective to look at our economy, and to start the work on creating innovative economic solutions that nurture our economy and ensure its sustainability. Today proves one more time that women and youth coming together, is natural, powerful and a foundation for growth. Women proved one more time to be great mentors, investors and leaders who have all the capabilities and potential to drive youth forward and support them in creating job opportunities and make their dreams come true. We are very proud with this twinning between women and youth. ” Raslan emphasized on the role of the government, accelerators like Changemaker, and economic institutions such as WLC in keeping our youth and strengthening their belief in their country and their role in the economic and social growth.
WLC has signed a handful number of MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding), which will be coming to life beginning of 2020. And the work has already started with the Minister of Empowering women and youth, putting a strategy in place that will support both women and youth on many levels.
More about WLC:
The Women Leaders Council (WLC) is the first council in Lebanon within the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL). WLC is inspired by Lebanese women and their resilience and strives to involve them in various activities to consolidate their position in the national economy. As they can most certainly contribute to the economic sector, WLC will work to expand and integrate women participation to enrich the social and economic affairs.