Beirut Institute Summit Abu Dhabi edition III to be held on October 13 & 14 under the theme

“Thinking 2020s: What to expect? How to prepare?”

This October, high-level political leaders and policy makers in the Arab region and world beyond will gather at the Beirut Institute Summit Abu Dhabi edition III to launch in-depth discussions of the most pressing issues and opportunities awaiting the region in the 2020s decade.

The third edition of the Summit—titled “Thinking 2020s: What to expect? How to prepare?”—will see 160 Arab and international speakers from 35 countries meet to explore the most urgent priorities forming the agenda of the 2020s, and look ahead to the realistic solutions and influential policy options to re-position the Arab region on the global map. The speakers will range from decision-makers, prominent subject matter experts and thinkers to civil society representatives, youth leaders and trendsetters and pioneering women.

Prior to the launch of the 3rd Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi, a press conference will be held by the Summit’s Co- Chairs, His Royal Highness Prince Turki al-Faisal, a member of Beirut Institute’s board of directors; and Dr. Raghida Dergham, the founder and executive chairman of Beirut Institute.

Held at the St. Regis Hotel on the Abu Dhabi Corniche on Saturday, 12 October, the press conference will set out the Summit’s itinerary and major participants and speakers, as well as the names of the five honorees of the Beirut Institute Exceptional Excellence Recognition.

The summit itself takes off on Sunday 13th of October for a two action-packed days of knowledge exchange, networking and collaboration, concluding its events on Monday 14th of October.

His Royal Highness Prince Turki AlFaisal says: “As 1441 AH, corresponding to 2019, draws to a close, and a new decade beckons for our Arab region, it’s incumbent on us to delve deeper into our situation and aspirations”. “In the intellectual impetus generated by Beirut Institute, there are opportunities for wisdom and insight to bring forth bright ideas responding to all manner of concerns, reflecting the talent and capability inherent in our region.”

For her part, Dr. Dergham states that “the Arab region currently stands at a crossroads requiring it to keep up with geopolitical transformations and economic and social changes, and achieve the technological progress anticipated for the 2020s. These matters will be discussed in depth at our third Summit.”

Dergham adds: “The Summit is a reflection of Beirut Institute itself, and what it represents as a think tank rooted in the Arab region, yet with a global dimension; an independent platform providing critical analysis preempting the challenges and opportunities posed by the coming decade—challenges that require creative solutions and constructive recommendations in order to reinforce the position of the Arab region, activate its productive sectors, and harness the power of its women and youth to lead the way and innovate.”

As in previous editions, the Summit will witness high-level Arab and international participation from the United States, Europe, Russia, China, Latin America, Africa, Australia, and all over the Middle East. Participants will include Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit; Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani; Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani; UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura bint Mohammed al-Kaabi; German Foreign Office Director for Relations with the Middle East and North Africa, Ambassador Philipp Ackermann; former Arab League Secretaries-General Amr Moussa and Nabil Elaraby; former GCC Secretary-General Abdullah Yaccoub Bishara; former Slovenian President Danilo Türk; former Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Dairi; former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari; Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Mubadala Investment Company and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority (EAA) Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak; former Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa; former CIA Director and chairman of KKR Global Institute, Gen. David Petraeus; former British Secret Intelligence Service Chief Sir John Scarlett; Chairman of the Fund for Political Research and Consulting Andrei Fedorov; Director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies Vitaly Naumkin; Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club Andrey Bystritskiy; President of Microsoft Middle East and Africa Samer Abu Ltaif; Wamda Chairman Fadi Ghandour; and Middle East Senior Partner at PwC, Hani Ashkar.

The Summit will also take the unique approach of gathering bright young talents and trendsetters side-by-side with established thought leaders.

The former will include the internationally-acclaimed designer Nada Debs; the Lebanese-Canadian founder of sustainable fashion agency The Slow Factory, Céline Semaan; the architect and founding principal of New York-based SOMA Architects, Michel Abboud; the Emirati fashion designer, Ahmed Alkhyeli, whose works have been worn at the Golden Globes; the Jordanian founder and managing director of Golden Wheat Grain Trading, Malak Al Akiely, winner of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) award in 2019; and the Palestinian-Canadian writer and journalist Chaker Khazaal, named one of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs Under 40.

Beirut Institute will once again pay tribute to outstanding achievement, this time celebrating five Arab and international pioneers who have excelled in the fields of politics, arts, technology, and humanitarianism, whose accomplishments will be acknowledged by the Beirut Institute Exceptional Excellence Recognition.

In its third edition, the summit teams up with PwC Middle East, one of the world’s largest professional services firms as the Summit’s official Knowledge partner.

Therefore, PwC will support pulling together the 2019 Beirut Institute Summit Declaration and developing the policy recommendation report following the summit. The report will include the contribution of all participants’ remarkable expertise and collaborative conversations. This unique partnership has the potential to stimulate positive change and further progress on key matters and discourses in the region.

About Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi:

Beirut Institute Summit in Abu Dhabi is a dynamic global platform aimed at achieving positive influence in the region by crafting realistic recommendations and influential policy options. Gathering Arab and international leaders, politicians, decision-makers, experts, and thinkers from many fields, as well as entrepreneurs, private sector representatives, civil society leaders, and media figures, the summit explores how to further develop the relationship between the Arab region and the world through a positive, forward-looking, and constructive approach to the issues affecting the future of the region.

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