THE GLOBAL WOMEN’S FORUM BRINGS TOGETHER LEADING GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS TO DISCUSS WAYS TO EMPOWER WOMEN
The Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 welcomed an exceptional lineup of global partners and thought leaders for its third edition. This year’s event, held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, brought together prominent international organisations and experts committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment and addressing critical issues affecting gender parity worldwide.
Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board and Managing Director of Dubai Women Establishment expressed her enthusiasm for the Forum’s potential impact, stating, “The Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 is more than a platform; it is a movement dedicated to harnessing global expertise to pave the way for equitable opportunities and to inspire women to reach their highest potential. Together, we are building a world where gender parity isn’t just a vision but a shared reality.”
The Forum featured a distinguished lineup of global partners, each contributing their unique perspectives regarding the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing women’s economic participation and social inclusion. The Forum delivered a series of transformative workshops and panels spotlighting the vital role of women in driving economic, social, and environmental progress.
Additionally, the Forum saw a pivotal session devoted to discussing the World Bank’s ‘Women, Business, and the Law Report’ at the Global Connect hub. Bringing together some of the world’s leading voices in women’s economic empowerment, the session highlighted critical global challenges to women’s livelihoods and explored innovative approaches to measuring women’s rights and economic opportunities.
EXPERTS CALL ON HUMANITY TO ‘BREAK FREE FROM OUTDATED PARADIGMS TO FIX GLOBAL PROBLEMS’ AT DUBAI FUTURE FORUM
Recognised as the world’s largest gathering of futurists, the forum, held from 19 to 20 November at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, concluded its third edition with a resounding call for bold, innovative thinking to tackle today’s complex and interconnected global challenges. It emphasised the urgency of embracing transformative solutions to navigate an increasingly unpredictable world.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, highlighted the pace of change reshaping the global landscape: “What we are about to see in the next 12 months is not just change; it is a series of era-defining moments. The wheel of future design is spinning faster than we, or our ancestors, could have imagined.”
EMIRATES RECEIVED ITS FIRST OF 65 A350-900s
The flagship carrier’s fleet expansion further enhances accessibility to Dubai, allowing ease of flight operations for medium and long-haul trips and further increasing Dubai’s position as a global aviation leader as it supports Dubai’s Economic Agenda.
Emirates has taken delivery of its first A350-900 aircraft, marking an important step in Emirates’ fleet growth strategy. It marks the long-standing partnership between Emirates and Airbus which is built on innovation, efficiency and operational excellence. The A350 is set to enhance Emirates’ medium and long-haul operations beyond the airline’s existing network. A350 will play a vital role in establishing the newly announced Dubai World Central (DWC) mega hub, further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global aviation leader.
Emirates will be the first airline in the Middle East to introduce Airbus’ new HBCplus satcom connectivity solution, offering seamless, high-speed global connectivity.
META, DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION CONCLUDE LLAMA DESIGN DRIVE
Event sheds light on UAE’s growing AI sector and Dubai’s role in nurturing its ever-expanding start-up ecosystem as the event takes place in partnership with industry leaders such as Meta and the UAE’s own Dubai Future Foundation in a forum of knowledge exchange.
Thirty innovators, including 22 startups and eight AI development professionals, presented breakthrough AI-powered solutions at the UAE’s first Llama Design Drive Demo Day during an exclusive event at the Dubai Future Foundation.
Meta’s AI accelerator programme culminated with 19 teams showcasing real-world applications for some of the UAE’s leading companies. During the four-week programme, startups and individual engineers received support from Meta to build prototypes using Meta’s open-source large language model Llama 3.2 engine to solve seven different challenges presented by corporate partners.
Each company presented key challenges to be addressed by the cohort’s solutions while highlighting the vast potential of AI to transform industries.
The Llama Design Drive Demo Day marked a milestone in UAE’s AI sector, underscoring the strategic importance of open-source AI in building solutions with commercial and social impact.
Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Deputy CEO of Dubai Future Foundation said: “Dubai Future Foundation partners with global technology giants in its efforts to enhance Dubai’s startup ecosystem. This latest partnership with Meta is bringing some of the UAE’s largest national enterprises together with innovative startups to solve challenges in line with the objectives of Dubai’s economic and social agendas.”
DXB ON TRACK TO BREAK RECORDS IN 2024 AFTER STELLAR NINE MONTHS
Dubai International (DXB) is on track for record-breaking annual traffic, following an impressive performance in the first nine months of the year. By the end of September, DXB had welcomed 68.6 million guests, laying a solid foundation for the typically high-traffic final quarter – a milestone made possible by the collective efforts of colleagues and partners who work tirelessly to maintain the airport’s leadership status.
DXB’s ability to handle such high volumes seamlessly reflects the dedication of its team and partners to providing an efficient and world-class guest experience. By leveraging advanced technologies, such as biometrics and real-time tracking systems, guests continue to enjoy a seamless and elevated journey.
DXB retained its title as the world’s busiest international airport for the tenth consecutive year, unveiled by the Airports Council International (ACI) earlier this year. With its robust performance so far and the anticipated surge in Q4, its 2024 annual traffic is now forecast to reach 91.9 million guests – the highest in its 64 years.
NASSCOM SIGNS MOU WITH DIFC TO STRENGTHEN FINTECH AND INNOVATION COLLABORATION
Through a series of activities such as webinars, roundtables, roadshows, and networking conferences, the partnership aims to create meaningful platforms for knowledge exchange, business growth, and collaborative innovation.
Nasscom, the leading voice of the US$254 billion technology industry in India, has signed an MoU with Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region. The strategic collaboration seeks to unlock opportunities for Nasscom member companies to actively engage in Dubai’s thriving FinTech and innovation ecosystem, fostering partnerships with cutting-edge organisations driving innovation in financial technology and related domains.
The MoU focuses on fostering strategic cooperation between Nasscom and DIFC to facilitate the integration of Indian technology companies into DIFC’s vibrant FinTech and innovation ecosystem. Through a series of activities such as webinars, roundtables, roadshows, and networking conferences, the partnership aims to create meaningful platforms for knowledge exchange, business growth, and collaborative innovation. It offers Nasscom member companies unparalleled access to DIFC’s Innovation Hub, Dubai AI Campus and its extensive network of cutting-edge companies driving innovation in the financial sector.
CROWN PRINCE OF DUBAI, H.H. HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED LEADS RECORD-BREAKING DUBAI RUN
In an inspiring display of community spirit, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, led a record-breaking 278,000 runners in Dubai Run, presented by Mai Dubai, a 23% increase from last year’s edition.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Dubai Run is a testament to the power of community and the determination of the people of the city to lead healthier and more active lives. Together, we are building a healthier, happier, and more connected society while setting an example for future generations. Events like Dubai Run reaffirm our commitment to enhancing the city’s quality of life and ensuring Dubai remains the world’s best city to visit and live in.”
The energy was palpable as Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown Dubai were transformed into a sea of green, with runners of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities donning their event t-shirts for the world’s largest fun run. Together, they made history with an unforgettable celebration of fitness and community that provided the perfect conclusion to the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) 2024.
