WHAT
Nadia Younes Memorial Lecture titled, “A Vision for the Rising Arab Generation,” organized by The American University in Cairo (AUC). The lecture will discuss the increase in youth demographics, social impact of refugees’ crisis, economic issues and how these topics affect and lead to problems with access to education, brain drain and lack of female participation. The lecture will also look into the different ways to overcome these obstacles through investing in sustainable growth initiatives, female empowerment and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
The lecture is part of the Nadia Younes Memorial Fund, which was established in honor and memory of Nadia Younes, who was tragically killed in the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad on August 19, 2003, while she was serving as chief of staff to Sérgio Vieira de Mello. In addition to the annual series, the fund has helped establish the Nadia Younes Conference Room, which serves Cairo International Model United Nations members, and the Nadia Younes Award for Public and Humanitarian Service.
The Nadia Younes Memorial Lecture invites renowned international figures in the fields of politics, international relations and humanitarian affairs to speak at AUC. Past speakers have included Kofi Annan (2005), former secretary-general of the United Nations; Dr. Bernard Kouchner (2006), former foreign minister of France and co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières; Mary Robinson (2007), former president of Ireland and the first female to assume that post; Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland (2012), former prime minister of Norway, former director-general of the World Health Organization and founder of the sustainability movement; Nabil Elaraby (2013), secretary-general of the League of Arab States; Nabil Fahmy (2014), Egypt’s former foreign minister and dean of AUC’s School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and Michael Møller, UN under-secretary-general (2015); in addition to many other prominent speakers and global leaders.
WHO
The speaker is Lubna S. Olayan, CEO and deputy chairman of Olayan Financing Company. In 2004, Olayan became the first woman to join the board of a publicly listed Saudi company when she was elected to the board of directors of Saudi Hollandi Bank (now Alawwal Bank), where she currently serves as vice chair. Olayan is a trustee of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), as well as the Asia Business Council. In addition, she chairs the UK-based Alfanar, the first venture philanthropy organization working exclusively in the Arab world. In recognition of her accomplishments, Olayan was named by Forbes as one of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2016 and 2017, and she was among Time magazine’s 2005 list of the world’s 100 most influential people.
WHERE
Moataz Al Alfi Hall, AUC New Cairo
WHEN
Monday, March 12, 2018; 6:00 to 9:00pm
