Dutch NGO hosts free online ‘IGNITE8’ event on how to Reimagine Jobs in Times of Transition

Jordan

Published: 2021-10-06 16:09

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 19:46


Dutch NGO hosts free online ‘IGNITE8’ event on how to Reimagine Jobs in Times of Transition
Dutch NGO hosts free online ‘IGNITE8’ event on how to Reimagine Jobs in Times of Transition

SPARK, a Dutch international non-governmental organization, is hosting a series of online events in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), addressing job creation in fragile and conflict-affected regions. The IGNITE8 event, titled ‘Reimagine Jobs’ on 12, 14 and 14 October 2021, highlights innovative solutions to jobs for youth, women, refugees, and other vulnerable people across the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Simon van Melick, Program Manager at SPARK and founder of the IGNITE conference, said “The future of work depends on green jobs, digital jobs and flexible jobs. Employment around the world is dramatically shifting. Globalization, digitization, automation and the COVID-19 pandemic mean it's now time to reimagine jobs and ensure the most vulnerable people in society are included in the transition.”

Speakers include New York Times bestselling author, Gayle Lemmon, who will interview three women entrepreneurs from the Middle East about their daily challenges and the future of their businesses; renowned German academic Tilman Brück from the International Security and Development Center (ISDC); Omar Christidis, founder of Arabnet; Ange Muyubira, founder and director of Kaz'O'zah, a fashion and artisan company in Burundi; and Rawan Al Zaidy, director of Nakhla, a palm tree business in Iraq.

Topics of the free online sessions include ‘Startups in Artificial Intelligence in the MENA Region’, which asks how AI can create new jobs and what skills are needed in the labour market; ‘New Green Entrepreneurship’, which focuses on the value of green businesses in fragile and conflict-affected states; ‘Financial Innovation for Refugees’ where Fintech companies, MoneyPhone and Telepaty, debate with academics from the University of Oxford and representatives from the Istanbul municipality, about fintech for refugee entrepreneurs in Turkey; ‘The Unheard Case of Agribusiness in Syria’, which brings together Syrian entrepreneurs, agriculture experts and a professor of Agriculture from the University of Aleppo on the importance of agribusiness in Syria; IFC’s panel about ‘Investing in African Fragile States’; a deep dive in the impact of SME competitions with Jusoor; as well as the EdTech Competition for Startups by Startups Without Borders, where 10 young finalists will pitch their business ideas with the chance to win up to $10,000 in in-kind prizes.

Visit our IGNITE event page for more information and to register for tickets.