PRE-EXPO TOLERANCE AND INCLUSIVITY WEEK

17-18 NOVEMBER 2020

Tuesday, November 17th, 2020Please note that all timings are GMT + 4, and subject to final confirmation

Al Wasl Opera

A sneak-peek of how Expo’s Al Wasl Opera, produced in collaboration with the Welsh National Opera, will celebrate the best of Emirati and global operatic talent

12:03pm

Children’s Tales from Around the World | UAE

Hazza and Zayed tell the story of “Fattouh the Mangrove Demon”, the UAE’s entry in the first edition of Children’s Tales from Around the World

12:05pm

Introduction to Tolerance & Inclusivity Week at Expo 2020 Dubai12:00pm

H.E. Reem Al HashimyDirector General of Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation

12:25pm Malaysia

12:30pm Children’s Tales from Around the World | Singapore

Expo Family Talks12:15pm USA

12:35pm Italy

H.R.H Tunku Zain Al-’AbidinFounding President, Institute for Democracy & Economic Affairs (IDEAS); #MyButterflyEffect Campaign Brand Ambassador for Malaysia at Expo 2020 Dubai

Nicole Ong ZiYing tells the story of “Kusu Island”, Singapore’s entry in the first edition of Children’s Tales from Around the World

Msgr. Paul Hinder Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia

Stefania GianniniUNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education

Pietro SebastianiItalian Ambassador to The Holy See

Expo Family Talks

Alberto MelloniProfessor of History of Christianity at the University of Modena-Reggio Emilia

Marco ImpagliazzoPresident of the Comunità di Sant’Egidio, Professor of Contemporary History at Roma Tre University

Khadijah TaufiqMember of the Peer Mentoring Programme of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

Children’s Tales from Around the World | Botswana12:50pm

Emmanuel Boefelo tells the story of “The Longest Folktale”, Botswana’s entry in the first edition of Children’s Tales from Around the World

William R. BottenTraining and Technical Assistance Coordinator, United States Access Board

1:30pm Accessibility Spotlight: The Value of Difference

Dr. Jennifer Camulli (Moderator) Manager, People with Accessible Needs, Expo 2020 Dubai

Mohamed AlaydaroosAssociate, Sustainability Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai

Michal RimonCEO, Access Israel

BPA Spotlight | Humanitarian-Peace-Development Nexus2:30pm

FAO, Uganda, Kenya

1:05pm

Jacobs | TogetherBeyond: An Action Plan for Advancing Justice and Equality

Jeffrey Dingle, P.E.Vice President and Director, TogetherBeyond

Nick Watson Founder, Team Angel Wolf

Caroline CaseyFounder, The Valuable 500

Steven MifsudFounder, Direct Access Consultancy

Dr. Paul OpioLivestock Officer (FAO Resilience Team for Eastern Africa)

Hind Al Owais(Moderator)Vice President, Participant Management,Expo 2020 Dubai

Dr. Mouza Al ShehhiDirector of the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC, United Arab Emirates

Aya BurweilaFounder of Code on the Road, BBC Expert Woman in Terrorism and Radicalisation, Visiting Lecturer at the Hellenic National Defence College

Women’s Pavilion Panel | Celebrating 20 Years: Women Peace and Security and the Role of Local and Indigenous Women

3:30pm

Dr. Charlotte IsakssonSenior Gender Advisor at European External Action Service, Expert on Gender and on UNWPS 1235/ WPS

Gloria JaaseSenior Women and Child Protection Officer in the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)

Emma PhiriGender Specialist, National Content Developer for Zambia - 50MAWSP

Chief Inspector Doreen Mazuba MalamboUNPOL Gender Adviser, 2020 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year

Expo Family Talks

Tuesday, November 17th, 2020Please note that all timings are GMT + 4, and subject to final confirmation

Canada1:55pm

Expo Live Global Innovators Spotlight12:00pm

Expo Live | GlobeMedia

Mara ZavagnoChief Diversity and Inclusion Officer,VP of Human Resources, Port Solutions, Konecranes

12:10pm Expo Live | WheeLog

Yuriko OdaCEO of WheeLog, Accessibility Information Advocate

12:20pm

Jakub KlepalExecutive Director, Forum 2000 Foundation

1:20pm SAP | PODium: An App for People of Determination

2:05pm Finland

Deirdre O’ReillySenior Director Expo 2020 for SAP UAE

Vidya GugnaniDirector, SAP Co-Innovation Lab, UAE

Expo Family Talks

Czech Republic | Forum 2000

Renat AnpilogovCEO and Co-Founder of Globe4all

12:30pm The Holy See | The Role of Tolerance and Inclusiveness in Co-Existence and Interfaith Understanding

Rev. Msgr. Tomasz TrafnyDeputy Commissioner General for The Holy See at Expo 2020 Dubai,Priest of the Archdiocese of Lublin, Poland and Official of the Pontifical Council for Culture

2:10pm BPA Spotlight | Sightsavers: Fighting Neglected Tropical Diseases with Mobile Phones

Meredith Preston McGhieSecretary General, The Global Centre for Pluralism

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020Please note that all timings are GMT + 4, and subject to final confirmation

5:00pm Business Unusual

Eman HableelHead, Foreign Aid Information and Reporting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE

Gaurav Sinha Founder and Chief Strategist of Insignia Worldwide, UAE

Mohamed AmersiFounder and Chairman, Inclusive Ventures Group; Founder, Amersi Foundation, UK

Navi RadjouInnovation and Leadership Thinker; Author, USA

Toneya SarwarHuman Resources Leader, Middle East & Africa, Cisco

Yousuf Caires (Moderator)Senior Vice President,Expo Live Grant Programme, Expo 2020 Dubai

Panel | How Dignified Storytelling Promotes Tolerance & Inclusivity

Ragy Saro (Moderator) Senior Manager, Participant Management, Expo 2020 Dubai

Nabila MassraliSpokesperson for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy, European Commission

Eiman KheirHead of Diaspora Division, African Union Commission

David GirlingAssociate Professor, School of International Development, University of East Anglia

Shermin MheidlyAdvisor to the CEO on Communications and Marketing, Dubai Cares,Deputy Commissioner General for Dubai Cares at Expo 2020 Dubai

Tracey Corbin-MatchettCEO, Bus Stop Films

2:30pm

Claudia EsparzaFounder, Nanas & Amas, Peru

With contributions from:

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020Please note that all timings are GMT + 4, and subject to final confirmation

PRE-EXPO TOLERANCE & INCLUSIVITY

SPEAKERS LIST

17-18 NOVEMBER 2020

H.E. Reem Al Hashimy Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation

In February 2016, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy was sworn in as Minister of State for International Cooperation, in the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Additionally, she holds responsibility within the Cabinet, for the UAE’s bilateral relations with Sub Saharan African countries and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Since her first ministerial appointment in February 2008, Her Excellency has and continues to manage, the Vice President’s Office for Political Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

In November 2013, as Managing Director of Dubai’s World Expo 2020 bid, Reem oversaw a historic success at the Bureau International des Expositions. Dubai Expo 2020 will be the first held in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia region). Her Excellency holds the position of Managing Director of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee as well as Director General of the Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, in preparation for the upcoming national milestone.

Since its launch in 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Her Excellency has served as Chairperson of Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation with the aim of improving access to quality education in developing countries.

Her Excellency was formerly Chairperson of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, which drives the UAE’s global competitiveness across many sectors.

Her Excellency completed her undergraduate degree at Tufts University, earning a BA in International Relations and French, followed by an MA from Harvard University. Prior to her current position as Minister of State, Her Excellency served as Commercial Attaché, and subsequently Deputy Chief, of the UAE Embassy to the United States of America, in Washington DC.

Bill Botten serves as the Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the U.S. Access Board. The Access Board is an independent federal agency that develops and maintains accessibility guidelines and standards for the built environment, transportation vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and information technology under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws. Botten, an Exercise Physiology graduate from the University of Kansas, joined the Access Board in May of 2000. His training experience includes hundreds of presentations over the last 30 years to local, state, and national audiences on injury prevention, disability awareness and sensitivity, and accessibility issues. Botten was part of a team that developed the new combined guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act and he specialises in access issues related to recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas.

Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin is the Founding President of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), a Trustee of Yayasan Chow Kit, Yayasan Munarah, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and the Genovasi Foundation. He is an Independent Non-Executive Director of Allianz Malaysia Berhad, an advisor or patron to numerous educational and musical organisations, a committee member of several societies, a columnist in three newspapers and a Fellow at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).

He completed his education at the Kuala Lumpur Alice Smith School, Marlborough College and the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he obtained his MSc in Comparative Politics. He worked in the UK Houses of Parliament, the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, KRA Group and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, before permanently returning to Malaysia. In 2006, he co-founded the Malaysia Think Tank which evolved into the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, a think tank that pursues market based solutions to public policy challenges. Since 2008, he has maintained columns across five newspapers, including #abidinideas in the Star, Sin Chew and Borneo Post. From these articles, three books have been compiled, the latest being nominated for the Popular Readers’ Choice Awards. Tunku Zain also authored a coffee table book for the Installation of the Eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, and led a major project to revitalise the State Anthem.

An Eisenhower Fellow, he has been selected for various leadership programmes and speaking tours by the governments of Australia, France, the European Union, Singapore, Canada and Cuba. He has received awards for integrity and impact among young leaders. His public speaking engagements include the inaugural lecture of the Speakers’ Lecture Series of the Malaysian Parliament, the inaugural lecture of the Constitutional Law Lecture Series at the University of Malaya, the third Raja Aziz Addruse Memorial Lecture at the International Malaysia Law Conference, and the Cultural Diplomacy Lecture Series at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations.

A keen pianist, he has performed or recorded with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, UiTM Chamber Choir, Tunku Kurshiah College Wind Orchestra, Choir of Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, Mei Yi Foo, Bartosz Woroch and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, among others. He enjoys tennis and squash, serving as President of the Negeri Sembilan Squash Association.

William R. Botten

H.R.H Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin

Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator, United States Access Board

Founding President, Institute for Democracy & Economic Affairs (IDEAS); #MyButterflyEffect Campaign Brand Ambassador for Malaysia at Expo 2020 Dubai

Msgr. Paul Hinder is the current Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen) and, since 13 May 2020, is the Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia). He has also served as consultor to both the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

A former Minister of Education, Universities and Research (2014 – 2016), Stefania Giannini developed and implemented a structural reform of the Italian education system, centred on social inclusion and targeting cultural awareness.

Msgr. Paul Hinder

Stefania Giannini

Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia

Pietro Sebastiani entered the Diplomatic Corps in 1984, and served in Moscow, New York, Paris, Brussels, Geneva and Madrid. On 18 June 2020, the Holy See awarded him the honour of Knight Grand Cross of the Pian Order.

Pietro Sebastiani

UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education

Italian Ambassador to The Holy See

Alberto Melloni is the holder of the UNESCO Chair on Religious Pluralism and Peace of the University of Bologna, a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and Secretary of the Giovanni XXIII Foundation for Religious Sciences.

Marco Impagliazzo is the President of the Comunità di Sant’Egidio, and the Full Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Roma Tre. He holds a PhD in Social and Religious History. His field of scholarly expertise is religion in Europe and the relations between Christianity, Judaism and Islam in the Mediterranean area in contemporary times.

Alberto Melloni

Marco Impagliazzo

Professor of History of Christianity at the University of Modena-Reggio Emilia

Born in 2001 in Pakistan, Khadijah Taufiq enrolled in International Politics and Government at Bocconi University of Milan. She is a former school representative in her school in Venice, and she coordinated the international editions of YOUNG7 in Canada in 2018, and in France in 2019. She is also a member of the Peer Mentoring Programme of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Khadijah Taufiq

President of the Comunità di Sant’Egidio, Professor of Contemporary History at Roma Tre University

Member of the Peer Mentoring Programme of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

Jeff serves as Vice President and Global Director of TogetherBeyond, Jacobs’ global inclusion and diversity strategy. He brings a broad perspective to the role having served in California state government, as well as a principal within three small minority-owned firms before joining Jacobs in 2008. Jeff is a registered professional engineer with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

Jeffrey Dingle, P.E.

Dr. Jennifer Camulli

Vice President and Director, TogetherBeyond

Mohamed Abdulrahman Alaydaroos is an Associate with the Sustainability Pavilion team at Expo 2020 Dubai. He is a certified international trainer from the Global Academy for Training and Development in the United Kingdom. He graduated from Zayed University with a Bachelor degree in Human Resource Management. He was the President of the Zayed University Youth Happiness and Tolerance Council.

Mohamed has several achievements: he was selected to become part of the Volunteers Programme with Expo 2020, took part in the Federal Youth Authority Youth101 initiative and the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi. Also, he was awarded the Sharjah Volunteering Award. Mohamed was also part of the National Youth Media Program with Dubai Press Club and Watani Al Emarat Foundation.

Mohamed has participated in the Happiness Journey in 2018, and was invited to present a speech about “Happiness it is from inside” on the International Day of Happiness with the Ministry of Happiness and Wellbeing.

Mohamed aims through these volunteering contributions, youth programmes and his work at Expo 2020 Dubai to leave a positive image of the Emirati Youth who love challenges and see these challenges as opportunities that encourage youth to be active in the future.

Mohamed Alaydaroos

Manager, People with Accessible Needs, Expo 2020 Dubai

Associate, Sustainability Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai

Jennifer brings 30 years of experience working with people with special needs and access needs. As an accessibility and inclusion consultant, she works for Expo 2020 Dubai as Manager, People with Accessible Needs to ensure the built, digital, social and sensory environments will offer full accessibility for all people with access needs. Universal design underpins all facets of disability inclusion.

She reports on context-based sustainability performance, specifically on accessibility and inclusion, as part of the social impact of corporate sustainability, initiatives, to complement the environmental initiatives for the Global Reporting Initiative. She has facilitated multiple workshops, professional development and has frequently been a presenter at conferences in Canada, Southeast Asia, and now the Middle East. She publishes in a variety of peer-reviewed academic journals, mostly about special needs and advocacy for inclusion. Her recent publishing work provides an employment framework in Dubai for People of Determination.

Michal Rimon, Adv. is the CEO of Access Israel since 2011. Prior to joining Access Israel, Michal was the spokesperson for Ambassador Dore Gold and Dr. Yehuda Lankri at the Israeli Mission to the United Nations. Michal received her Law Degree from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel and an MBA from Zicklin Business School, NYC. She later worked as a lawyer for M-Systems and SanDisk. In 2007, Michal joined Access Israel as a General Counsel and represented the organisation in legislation process at the Israeli House of Parliament. In 2008, Michal established the Education and Training Department in the organisation before she became the CEO of Access Israel. In the past 7 years, as the CEO, Michal has been leading the International Relations of the organisation, which has successfully created and lead an international network of experts and leaders from all over the world promoting accessibility and inclusion for all. Michal gives lectures around the world to share Access Israel’s know-how and expertise gathered in the last two decades.

Michal Rimon

Nick Watson

CEO, Access Israel

Founder, Team Angel Wolf

Nick has lived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates since 1998, and has been a professional in the health and fitness world for over 25 years.

He studied art and design at Toulouse Art School ‘Ecole Des Beaux Arts’, and served in the British Royal Marines, based in 45 Commando Unit Scotland, Recce Troop.

After his service with the Royal Marines, he became retrained for civilian life in Personal Training, Sports Specific Coaching, Sports Therapy and as a certified Ironman Triathlon Coach.

As #TeamAngelWolf, Nick and his son Rio are x2 Guinness World Record holders for swimming in open water while pulling a kayak for 5km and 10km.

Nick’s son Rio was born with severe disabilities, with a rare chromosome deletion - 1q44 Deletion Denovo Syndrome, which would mean that he independently would never be able to participate and experience sport as others can. This inspired Nick to create #TeamAngelWolf, both to compete with Rio in racing and sporting events, and to offer free community programmes/activities, and, school/corporate motivational talks, to bring awareness of people with disabilities and to inspire our community to become healthy and hopefully to choose triathlon as their sport.

Caroline Casey is an award-winning social entrepreneur and founder of The Valuable 500 - a catalyst for an inclusion revolution that exists to position disability equally on the global business leadership agenda.

Committed to building a global movement on inclusive business for the 1.3 billion people in the world with a disability, over the past two decades she has set up several organisations and initiatives centred on disability business inclusion.

Her latest initiative, The Valuable 500, is a campaign to get 500 businesses to commit to put disability inclusion on their leadership agendas. Launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Summit in 2019, Casey succeeded in bringing disability inclusion onto the main stage at DAVOS for the first time ever with the support of global business leaders.

The Valuable 500 is supported by a host of global leaders including Sir Richard Branson, and Paul Polman, and global brands including Microsoft and Sky.

Casey is also a TED speaker, Ashoka Fellow, Eisenhower Fellow, a past advisor for the Clinton Global Initiative, a One Young World Counsellor and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.

Caroline Casey

Steven Mifsud

Founder, The Valuable 500

Founder, Direct Access Consultancy

Steven founded disability accessibility consultancy Direct Access in 2004. Working with organisations to improve the accessibility of their buildings and services has taken him all over the world. In the last year, he has formed the Direct Access Group with separate divisions in consultancy, media and products.

From creating the UK’s first Quiet Room on the rail network for autistic people to advising on the introduction of Changing Places facilities across the country, millions of people daily use services or buildings that Direct Access has audited. More than 1000 schools, hundreds of GP and dental practices, UNESCO World Heritage sites and numerous local authorities are part of an extensive client base.

Steven studied architecture at Brighton University and his expertise is sought after as a speaker and writer. In the last year, Steven has spoken and promoted inclusion in Canada, Qatar, Poland, Dubai and the United States. Steven has won awards including the Insider International Trade Award, and the International Trader of the Year from South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce. The Nantwich Town Council also awarded him the Salt of the Earth accolade for his work for the town and he was nominated for the Northern Powerhouse awards.

In 2018, Direct Access became the Universal Design Consultants for Expo 2020 Dubai, with Steven being appointed as ‘Project Director’ for Universal Design. Direct Access are embedding accessibility throughout, reviewing designs from architectural firms involved to make sure they adhere to the Dubai Universal Design Code and international best practice.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Direct Access has been supporting disability organisations and care homes with vital PPE. Steven has also been speaking on the impact of accessibility for disabled people.

Paul joined FAO Uganda in 2007 as Livestock Specialist for the Karamoja region, where he designed and managed several emergency and rehabilitation projects. In 2011, he moved to FAO’s Resilience Team for Eastern Africa as the Livestock and Pastoralism Advisor, working closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), East Africa Community and the African Union.

Paul has more than 15 years of experience in providing support to East African countries on national, crossborder and regional emergency, rehabilitation and development issues. He has extensive experience in programming with regional economic communities, in policy development, and coordination of regional food security and nutrition partners.

Dr. Paul OpioLivestock Officer (FAO Resilience Team for Eastern Africa)

As Vice President of the International Participants Department at Expo 2020 Dubai, Hind Alowais oversees the participation of international and intergovernmental organisations, as well as a wide range of stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, philanthropic foundations and global initiatives. With a leading role in Expo 2020 Dubai’s Women’s Pavilion, Hind aims to create a space to address global challenges by building a platform for multi-stakeholder partnerships to advance the global development agenda through innovative and impact-driven initiatives. Hind worked for the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs for almost 15 years, where her work focused on multilateral diplomacy and supporting the UAE’s agenda.

She served as a Special Assistant to the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where she advised on key policy issues. She also played a central role in bringing the International Renewable Energy Agency to Abu Dhabi. Hind was the first Emirati national to hold a senior position in the United Nations system advising the leadership of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) on key strategic issues. As Senior Advisor for Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships at UN Women, she oversaw the launch of the UN Women Liaison Office in Abu Dhabi and was responsible for looking into the role of religion in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment at UN Women headquarters.

Prior to that, Hind was the Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the UN in New York, where she was actively involved in a number of key issues, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Hind holds a Master’s in Arts and Public Policy from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a Master’s in International Affairs from the Lebanese American University

Hind Al OwaisVice President, Participant Management, Expo 2020 Dubai

Dr. Mouza Al ShehhiDirector of the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC, United Arab Emirates

Dr. Mouza Al Shehhi is the Director of the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC, driving efforts to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the UAE, GCC, and globally. Prior to this, Dr. Mouza served as the Senior Adviser and International Representative to the General Women’s Union, the UAE’s primary organisation dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

She served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the UAE Armed Forces National Service and Reserve Authority and prior to this has founded the Sports Medicine Wing of the UAE Armed Forces. She also served as a doctoral researcher and licensed physician at Mile End Hospital and as a Sports Medicine Specialist at Zayed Military Hospital.

Dr. Mouza served as Acting CEO of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Sports Academy in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Mouza received her M.D. from Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, and her MSc in Sports Medicine and Research Medical Doctorate from Queen Mary, University of London.

Aya Burweila is the Founder of Code on the Road, a BBC Expert Woman in Terrorism and Radicalisation and a Visiting Lecturer at the Hellenic National Defence College. Prior to establishing Code on the Road, she was the Head of Research & Public Policy at Solidarity Now, an Athens-based NGO active nation-wide in the field of human rights. Born in Benghazi, Libya, she holds a certificate in Building Capacities on Arms Control in the MENA Region from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, certificates in Conflict Analysis and Interfaith Conflict Resolution from the United States Institute of Peace, a certificate in Terrorism Studies from the University of St. Andrews, an M.A. in International Relations and Affairs from the University of Indianapolis, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of La Verne.

She has participated in projects and field visits in camps in Germany, Italy, Lebanon and in Greece, where she also worked at the Leros island hotspot. Aya is also a Senior Adviser at the Research Institute for European and American Studies where for ten years, she was an analyst specialising in extremism and conflict in North Africa, Europe, and the Balkans. Aya’s work on integration, conflict and extremism has been published in a wide range of journals and platforms such as the International Journal of Intelligence and Counter Intelligence, European Eye on Radicalisation, the Oxford Law Society Journal, the China U.S. Focus Journal,

The Jerusalem Journal of Near East Affairs and the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies, as well as mainstream publications like the Huffington Post. Aya is also the author of the EU commissioned “Greece National Report 2018: Migrant and Youth Social Inclusion Through Entrepreneurship (MY-SITE)” for the People for Change Foundation. She has been quoted by Time Magazine, Jane’s Military Intelligence Review, Voice of America, the Washington Times, the Guardian, Protothema, Jeune Afrique and the Athens News, among other publications. In 2019, she was the winner of the Harvard Arab Alumni Network’s 3arbi Impact Initiative.

Aya BurweilaFounder of Code on the Road, BBC Expert Woman in Terrorism and Radicalisation, Visiting Lecturer at the Hellenic National Defence College

Gloria Jaase

Emma Phiri

Senior Women and Child Protection Officer in the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)

Gender Specialist, National Content Developer for Zambia (50MAWSP)

Ms Gloria Jaase is a Senior Women Protection Officer in African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM ). She works primarily on concerns related to Women and Child protection in situations of armed conflict. She is specialized on SGBV, CRSV and SEA. She is a gender equality advocate, and tirelessly worked toward the protection of women’s rights and gender equality in conflict settings.

Emma Phiri is currently working as a Gender Specialist for Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats), and as the Zambia Focal Point Person (National Content Developer) for the 50 Million African Women Speak Project (50MAWSP) under COMESA. She coordinates the National Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Violence against Children (VAC) data collection, compilation, analysis and GBVIMS Harmonisation process in Zambia. She is also a Focal Point Person - Ending Child Marriage under the African Union. She has vast experience in both quantitative and qualitative research, and has contributed greatly in both legal and gender sectors which include moderating and reporting in various workshops both at national and international levels. Emma has been working with human rights issues, especially women and children for more than ten years. She holds a Master of Arts in Gender Studies, a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Gender looking into ‘Child Marriage as a Barrier to Girl’s Education: A Developmental Challenge in Zambia’. Emma’s role as a Gender Specialist is to ensure that the Agenda of achieving Gender Equality (SDG #5) and SDG #8 on decent work are attained without leaving anyone behind.

Dr. Charlotte IsakssonSenior Gender Advisor at European External Action Service, Expert on Gender and on UNWPS 1235/ WPS

Charlotte Isaksson currently works as the Senior Gender Advisor at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels. Previously she was the Gender Advisor (GENAD) within Allied Command Operations, NATO at SHAPE in Belgium between 2011 and 2016. She served earlier as GENAD within the Directorate of Operations at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters as well as prior positions within the Ministry of Defence, primarily in the fields of gender and global, regional, national and individual security. Her main work has been focusing on Security, Gender Equality and Integration of Gender Perspectives – including UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and related resolutions on Conflict related Sexual Violence.

Chief Inspector Doreen Mazuba MalamboUNPOL Gender Adviser, 2020 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year

Yuriko OdaCEO of WheeLog, Accessibility Information Advocate

Yuriko Oda was diagnosed with GNE Myopathy in 2002, and became a wheelchair user in 2006. She started PADM (Patients Association for Distal Myopathies) in 2008, and began sharing accessibility information on her YouTube channel “Wheelchair Walker” in 2014. She also launched WheeLog!, a user-generated application for wheelchair users in 2017.

Renat AnpilogovCEO and Co-Founder of Globe4all

Renat Anpilogov is from St. Petersburg (Russia) and is CEO and Co-Founder of the Globe4All accessible tourism project. He has 15+ years of experience in media, OTT and VOD services. His love of travel and desire to enable everyone to fulfill their dreams of traveling in spite of disabilities led him to create a marketplace for travelers with special needs.

Jakub KlepalExecutive Director, Forum 2000 Foundation

Jakub Klepal is the Executive Director of the Forum 2000 Foundation and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association for Democracy Assistance and Human Rights (DEMAS). Mr. Klepal is also the Founding Curator of the Prague Hub of Global Shapers of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Previously, he served as the Chairman of the Board of DEMAS, worked as an analyst with the Research Centre of the Association for International Affairs (AMO) as the Head of its Americas programme, and served as a member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Klepal also worked as a journalist, a research scholar at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and as a Fulbright Scholar at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in the United States.

Rev. Msgr. Tomasz TrafnyDeputy Commissioner General for The Holy See at Expo 2020 Dubai, and Priest of the Archdiocese of Lublin, Poland and Official of the Pontifical Council for Culture

Born in Darłowo (Poland) in 1970, Rev. Msgr. Tomasz Trafny completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Lublin. He continued his post-graduate studies in philosophy at the same university and afterwards at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. Since 2006, he serves as the Head of Science and Faith Department at the Pontifical Council for Culture (Vatican City State). Between 2006 and 2012, he served as the Executive Director of the STOQ Project (Science, Theology and Ontological Quest) and Director of the STOQ Project Research Series. Since 2013, he serves as the Secretary of the Scientific Committee of the Science and Faith - STOQ Foundation, and from 2014 as the Secretary General of its Board of Trustees. Between 2014 and 2016, he served as a Member of the Advisory

Board of the John Templeton Foundation. He was appointed a Deputy Commissioner General ad omnia of the Holy See Pavilions at Expo 2019 in Beijing and Expo 2020 in Dubai. He participated in more than 200 international conferences and meetings, with more than 80 interventions of various kinds. He published more than 30 papers, and is a co-author and editor of three books. His interests include philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, epistemology, philosophical anthropology in the context of contemporary science (biology, regenerative medicine, neurocognitive sciences, etc.), topics related to the wide-ranging dialogue between science and religion and their impact on cultures as well as environmental and climate change issues.

Vidya GugnaniDirector, SAP Co-Innovation Lab, UAE

Vidya Gugnani is a Co-Innovation expert working with SAP Co-Innovation Lab, a global network of 16 labs across the globe. She has over 15 years of experience in SAP, with extensive experience in agile project management. She works with key partners and customers in the region showcasing the power of SAP technologies with new age innovations in AR, VR, robotics, blockchain, machine intelligence and the latest technology innovations. She holds three technology patents and is an in-house SAP technology trainer and a trained design thinking coach (SAP’s pathway to guide and incite ideas). She is also a judging member of the evaluating committee for Expo 2020’s grant programme Expo Live and MBRIF Innovations committees.

Deirdre O’ReillySenior Director Expo 2020 for SAP UAE

Deirdre O’Reilly is a Senior Executive Director working in business consulting and operations for many years, most recently with Global IT solutions and integration providers. She has a long experience in the travel and transportation business specialising in airports, airlines, engineering and event management. She is a seasoned consultant in start-ups and established multinationals. She is also a long distance sailing skipper with three Atlantic and Panama Pacific crossings. She has a deep awareness of international business relations with a portfolio in many disciplines. She also serves as a judge for Expo Live, Expo 2020’s grant programme for start-ups.

Meredith Preston McGhieSecretary General, The Global Centre for Pluralism

Meredith Preston McGhie has devoted more than 20 years to addressing conflict and instability in Africa and Asia in some of the most troubled situations. From working with the Naga in Northeast India and indigenous communities on the Thai-Myanmar border, to supporting UN efforts in Kosovo, Northern Iraq and several African countries, her work has straddled frontline negotiation, policy and diplomacy.

She became the Global Centre for Pluralism’s Secretary General on October 1, 2019. Most recently, as Africa Regional Director with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, she oversaw the HD Centre’s complex mediation and dialogue efforts in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan, among other places. In the Kenyan National Dialogue and Reconciliation Process in 2007-08, she advised the Panel of Eminent African Personalities led by the late Kofi Annan. She has contributed annually to the Oslo Forum, a gathering of the world’s leading experts and policymakers in conflict resolution, and teaches mediation practice internationally.Ms. Preston McGhie studied military and international history at the University of British Columbia before pursuing graduate studies in global security at Keele University in the United Kingdom.

Ragy SaroSenior Manager, Participant Management, Expo 2020 Dubai

Ragy Saro is a Senior Manager with Expo 2020 Dubai and leads on the Dignified Storytelling Programme. As part of his portfolio he oversees the relationship and engagement of international and regional organisations with Expo 2020.

Mara Zavagno Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, VP of Human Resources, Port Solutions, Konecranes

Mara Zavagno has 23 years of experience in Human Resources in multinational companies, with broad competencies in operational and Business Partnership HR, supporting cultural change and Diversity and Inclusion. She is a Member of the Board of Trustees at ISD Dusseldorf. Educated with a B.Sc. in Political Science and Master in Business Coaching, and Executive Leadership training for Board Members, she is a frequent speaker on D&I in ELA International, the HRD Podcast in LinkedIn, Strategy Insights and many other forums. She is married with two children (16 and 10 years old).

Nabila MassraliSpokesperson for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy, European Commission

Nabila Massrali is a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the European Commission. Previously, Nabila was head of the EU Task Force South, where she led the team responsible for EU strategic communications for the Middle East and North Africa region. She began her career as a journalist for the French-language weekly newspaper El-Ahram Hebdo in Cairo.

David GirlingAssociate Professor,School of International Development, University of East Anglia

David is the Course Director for the MA Media and International Development at the University of East Anglia. He is interested in the use of imagery in development communications and recently completed a study of visual communication in six African countries. For three years he was a judge for the Radi-Aid awards, whose aim is to change the way fundraising campaigns communicate and to break down dominant stereotypes.

Eiman KheirHead of Diaspora Division, African Union Commission

Ms. Eiman Kheir is the head of the Diaspora Division in the African Union Commission and is a development champion. Her work focuses on pioneering development-conscious programming that’s innovative, inclusive and impactful. She navigates African diaspora for development discourse by focusing on the riches that the diaspora offer in the political, social and economic spaces, in both countries of origin and destination. She provides advice and support to the African Union and AU Member States on the effective Diaspora engagement. She works to establish the 6th region of Africa, its diaspora, by establishing, enabling and growing a network of Diaspora partnerships capable of effecting change on the continent.

She is the founder of the interfaith Dialogue on Violent Extremism (iDove), a programme which utilizes the power of dialogue, youth, and creativity in preventing violent extremism. Innovations include social media campaigns, interactive theatre, storytelling, and gaming.

Shermin MheidlyAdvisor to the CEO on Communications and Marketing, Dubai Cares, Deputy Commissioner General for Dubai Cares at Expo 2020 Dubai

Shermin Mheidly has been working with Dubai Cares since 2010. She is an Advisor to the CEO on Communications and Marketing and currently holds the position of Deputy Commissioner General for Dubai Cares at Expo 2020 Dubai, tasked with overseeing three key initiatives and programmes: Dubai Cares’ pavilion, RewirEd and Dignified Storytelling.

Tracey Corbin-MatchettCEO, Bus Stop Films

Tracey is an industry leader with a passion for strategy and engagement wrapped in kindness. Having “boarded the bus” in 2018 before stepping into the driver’s seat as CEO in mid-2019, TCM as she is known to most, is leveraging her strong industry connections to use filmmaking and the film industry to raise the profile of people with disability on both sides of the camera. She has more than 25 years` experience in diverse sectors, including small business education, social housing and domestic violence services with six years as the State Manager of NSW Legal Aid’s Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Programme. Tracey has led many projects seeking greater inclusion and diversity in the screen industry, including managing Women in Film and TV Australia – Raising Films Australia strategy, and previously working with Screen NSW on strategic initiatives including Screenability, to foster employment opportunities for people with disability in the screen sector and She Shoots opening pathways for women in camera and sound roles.

Tracey is hard of hearing and is also a Director of Deaf Sports Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Community Welfare (UWS) and a Diploma of Business (UTS).

Eman HableelHead, Foreign Aid Information and Reporting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE

Eman heads the Youth Council and the Foreign Aid Information and Reporting Section at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Eman is a member of the Ministry’s Innovation Committee, and has previously served as Head of Women and Girls Empowerment Section at the Ministry, which focuses on policy development to empower women and girls in developing countries, and designs development and humanitarian programmes.

Eman has received several awards during her career including the 2018 Extraordinary Employee Award Idea, Employee Award for the 2nd quarter of 2018, the 2017 Community Employee Award, the 2016 Extraordinary Employee Award, and the first place in the 2015 New Employee Excellence Award.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security from Khalifa University for Science, Technology and Research. She has worked as a research assistant at the University for two years and has published several research papers in the field of encryption and information security.

Her passion for volunteering and serving the UAE led her to establish Emirates Digital Association for Women in 2013, which was announced in 2014 by the Ministry of Community Development. The association aims to contribute to building the capacities of women and girls in the field of computer and information technology. She served as Vice President until 2018.

Eman is a graduate of The UAE Youth Programme, which was designed in collaboration with the office of the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs to develop and prepare national youth to achieve the goals of the ambitious future vision of 2021 and UAE Centennial 2071.

Gaurav SinhaFounder and Chief Strategist of Insignia Worldwide, UAE

Gaurav Sinha is the Founder & Chief Strategist of Insignia Worldwide, a destination design, strategy and brand experience company. He is a thought leader on the subjects of urban design, branding and destination development, and is a curator of culture and a catalyst of change.

With over 27 years of experience, working on projects across 20 countries, Gaurav’s creative and strategic skills and business acumen have allowed him to play an integral role in key strategic destination development and branding initiatives for numerous clients, including government bodies and private sector organisations like Dubai Tourism, Ministry of Culture - Saudi Arabia, PIF, Emirates Group, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, IHG, Kempinski, Four Seasons, Accor Hotels, Emirates Airline and numerous others.

Gaurav’s analytical capabilities, anthropological insights and understanding of the design and strategy domains are complemented by his extensive experience within the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. He has been actively involved in the pre-opening of over 50 hotels in 12 countries and is also well versed with real estate development, asset and revenue management and other critical commercial disciplines within the tourism and hospitality industry.

In his last corporate role, he was appointed as the Area Director - Middle East & Asia Pacific for Hilton Hotels, where he was responsible for the Conrad, Waldorf Astoria and the Hilton brands. He is also the author of Compassion Inc. a book published by Penguin Random House, and critically acclaimed by the Financial Times UK, that presents a case on how to future-proof your brand based on principles of empathy and compassion.He is a father of three children and the co-founder of Harmony House, an NGO registered in UK & India, providing free food, education and medical care for over 500 destitute children in India.

Mohamed AmersiFounder and Chairman, Inclusive Ventures Group; Founder, Amersi Foundation, UK

Mohamed Amersi is the Chairman of the Amersi Foundation which supports initiatives in education, building cohesive societies, inclusive capitalism, governance and the futures agenda. The Foundation also launched the Inclusive Ventures Group (https://inclusiveventures.com), a responsible profits social impact investing platform that has invested in education, livelihood, health and waste management in Africa and Asia. Mohamed Amersi is a Fellow of Brasenose College, University of Oxford, and is a member of the Development Board of the British Academy, a member of the Boards of Orb Media, Unchain, the Islamic Reporting Initiative, the Governing Council of the Royal Agricultural University, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, the Global Leadership Council of the Said Business School, University of Oxford , the Advisory Board of the Oxford Internet Institute and the Global Advisory Board of the Oxford Foundry. In addition, Mohamed Amersi is the Chairman of the iShia Foundation, the International Advisory Council of the British Asian Trust, a member of the Global Partners Council of the Institute of New Economic Thinking and a Trustee of Prince’s Trust International and the Rose Castle Foundation.

Toneya SarwarHuman Resources Leader, Middle East & Africa, Cisco

With over 15 years’ experience within Human Resources, Toneya currently supports the Cisco MEA Sales function. She serves as a consultative business partner and her passions are Leadership Development, driving a courageous culture and promoting Inclusion and Diversity.

Born and raised in the UK, Toneya completed her education with a Masters in International Relations from the University of Nottingham.

Toneya moved to Dubai in 2007. She is married with three children.In her spare time, Toneya enjoys organising charitable initiatives. She has her own poetry podcast where she shares her life lessons through her poems.

Navi RadjouInnovation and Leadership Thinker; Author, USA

Navi Radjou is a New York-based innovation and leadership scholar who advises senior executives worldwide on breakthrough growth strategies. A Fellow at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Navi has served as Vice President at Forrester Research, a leading technology research and advisory firm in Boston. In 2013, Navi won the prestigious Thinkers50 Innovation Award – given to a management thinker who is re-shaping the way we think about and practice innovation. He delivered a talk at TED Global 2014 on frugal innovation (nearly two million views).

Navi co-authored Frugal Innovation: How to Do Better with Less, published by The Economist in 2015, as well as the global bestseller Jugaad Innovation (over 250,000 copies sold worldwide) and From Smart To Wise. He will publish his next book Conscious Society: Redefining Who We Are, Reinventing How We Consume, Work, Relate, and Live in 2021. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and widely quoted in international media. Born and raised in Pondicherry, India, he holds dual French-American citizenship. He attended Ecole Centrale Paris and Yale School of Management. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is a life-long student of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vipassana meditation.

Claudia EsparzaFounder, Nanas & Amas, Peru

Yousuf CairesSenior Vice President, Expo Live Grant Programme, Expo 2020 Dubai

Yousuf L. Caires is the Senior Vice President of Expo Live, an innovation and partnership programme launched by Expo 2020 Dubai to fund, accelerate, and promote creative solutions that improve lives while preserving our planet.

Expo Live will harness the convening power of a World Expo to demonstrate how innovations coming from all places and people can advance the pace of progress and inspire a more inclusive and prosperous future.

In the build-up to the World Expo in 2020, Yousuf’s role is to run Expo Live’s operation and deploy of a combination of grants, challenge prizes and knowledge-sharing events focused on the universal drivers of progress: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, also known as the three subthemes of Expo 2020 Dubai.

In addition to his current role, Yousuf is also a founding member and Managing Director of the Milele Zanzibar Foundation, a local NGO working to accelerate progress in the areas of health, education and livelihood opportunities in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Yousuf has considerable experience in managing programmes that touch on innovation with a social impact. His career includes previous leadership roles at Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation working to improve children’s access to quality primary education in developing countries, Staples Inc. and the Gillette Company.

Yousuf received his B.A. from Northeastern University and M.S. from Michigan State University on international trade and supply chain management.

Claudia Esparza is the founder and CEO of ‘Nanas & Amas’, the first Peruvian social franchise that has helped more than 3,000 women find decent work as domestic workers. Claudia is an engineer by profession, social entrepreneur by vocation and a domestic worker’s advocate and partner. She is the Founder of ‘Emprendedoras del Hogar’, a NGO that promotes domestic work with dignity as a tool to build prosperity. Creator of the ‘Student Domestic Worker’ concept, through which domestic work is transforming into the new powerful platform that will allow millions of women work and study a career to become proffesional women and thrive.