The 2019 Arab World Social Innovation
Forum (AWSIF) is a global exchange of
theories of social change and the first
high-level international forum on social
entrepreneurship held in the region
since the Arab Spring.
Nearly 10 years ago, Ashoka Arab World
launched the Arab World Social
Innovation Forum (2009), the first
platform of its kind to connect regional
and global stakeholders in a discussion
on building the still-nascent field of
social entrepreneurship in the Middle
East and North Africa. More than a
decade later, Ashoka has sourced and
empowered more than 100 leading
social entrepreneurs in more than 11
countries across the MENA region. Our
social entrepreneurs now belong to a
robust regional and international
ecosystem with diverse leaders,
organizations, and models of social
change.
However, the growing voices in the field
can also drown out the conversations that
are necessary to achieve the next great
era of social change, which will require
dismantling the pervasive innovation
divide between the Global North and
Global South and reframing the way that
we raise, empower, and acknowledge
women changemakers in all corners of the
globe.
Leveraging Ashoka’s position as the
world’s largest platform for social
entrepreneurs, AWSIF will convene over
400 attendees – among them,
distinguished social entrepreneurs,
leaders in the business and corporate
sector, and policymakers and thought
leaders - from the region and around the
world in order to ignite the local-to-global
and global-to-local movement for change,
and to launch Ashoka’s revolutionary new
Women’s Initiative for Social
Entrepreneurship.
Since its formalization and
professionalization approximately three
decades ago, social entrepreneurship has
gained immense momentum and interest.
Thirty eight years after founding the field,
Ashoka has selected and supported more
than 3,500 social entrepreneurs in 93
countries.
Meanwhile, in academia, the field has
engendered countless new departments and
research centers, and in the private sector,
funds and foundations have invested
hundreds of millions of dollars in social
entrepreneurs. Governments and
businesses the world over are increasingly
sourcing solutions from social
entrepreneurs. Indeed, the approaching
deadline for the United Nation’s Millennium
Development Goals has positioned social
entrepreneurship as an innovative and
effective approach to changing the world.
However, the true systems-changing
potential of social entrepreneurship requires
inclusive global networks and dialogues.The
Global South and women social
entrepreneurs all over the world are too
often disproportionately represented in social
change structures and conversations, but do
not have disproportionate solutions to the
world’s most pressing challenges.
AWSIF therefore presents a new model and
an unprecedented step forward: The Forum
will inclusively source, support, and connect
the most successful solutions from the
Global South to the world, and in turn
source the best innovations from the Global
North to solve local problems. In parallel,
the Forum will host a collaborative launch of
Ashoka's Women's Initiative for Social
Entrepreneurship: a global program to
increase the place and power of women in
the sector, and to systematically redefine
success in social entrepreneurship with a
gender lens.
Ashoka does not seek event sponsors, but instead partners and co-creators who are motivated to address the geographic and gender divides in social innovation and usher in the next great era of social change with inclusive dialogues and collaboration. Partners will play a leading and visible role in building the first international forum on social entrepreneurship held in the region since the Arab Spring, and in launching Ashoka's unprecedented global program, the Women's Initiative for Social Entrepreneurship.
Kara Fitzgerald is the Head of Partnerships and Global Relations for the Arab World Social Innovation Forum organized by Ashoka Arab World. At Ashoka's Regional Headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa, Kara is responsible for high-level engagement with major stakeholders to raise Ashoka Arab World’s national and regional profile and for fostering financial and non-financial partnerships across 11countries in the MENA region.
Contact the Organizer Contact the Organizer3 available packages from US$3000 to US$30000
https://www.sponsormyevent.com/the-arab-world-social-innovation-forum-cairoDialogue Partners cover the travel and accommodation costs necessary to convene leading social entrepreneurs, experts, and moderators from the Global North and South for an inclusive and dynamic Plenary Panel or parallel Breakout Session. Partners can choose to sponsor an entire session according to their thematic area of interest, or can support the attendance of social entrepreneurs and experts from a specific region or country according to geographic focus areas. The benefits to our Dialogue Partners include the following: - Website: announcement as Dialogue Partner on event landing page, clickable link; - Press Release to International Media Partners - Onsite branding: on session promotional materials and multimedia displays; - Full table for 8 guests and 2 social entrepreneurs at VIP Gala Dinner - Representation in International Social Media Campaign - Full page ad or message in Event Journal - Exhibition space at the event
7 available
At the heart of AWSIF’s mandate is bringing together leading social entrepreneurs among this network from all corners of the globe and working across all sectors of human need. This task depends on the support of our most distinguished Champion Partners. Ashoka Arab World invites champions to co-build AWSIF by supporting the attendance of Ashoka Fellows working in a specific sector of their choosing or those joining from a region they wish to see represented at the Forum. Benefits to Changemaking Partners Include: - Website: announcement as Changemaking Partner on event landing page, clickable link; - Press Release to International Media Partners - Onsite branding: on session promotional materials and multimedia displays; - Invitations for 2 guests at VIP Gala Dinner - Representation in International Social Media Campaign - 1/2 page ad or message in Event Journal - Exhibition space at the event
10 available
The Forum's closing Gala Dinner will gather VIP partners and attendees from around the globe to join Ashoka and our social entrepreneurs in recognizing 15 years of changemaking in the Middle East and North Africa. At the Gala Dinner, Network Partners will have the opportunity to more intimately discuss universal challenges and visions for social change with distinguished Ashoka Fellows, who will be invited to join each table. Guests will also have the unique chance to celebrate the induction of this year's new cohort of Ashoka Arab World Fellows. Partners are invited to reserve seats and tables for representatives of your organizations to gain exclusive access to this celebration and networking space. Confirmed reservations for the Gala Dinner will also guarantee registration of your organization at the Forum and will carry the following benefits: The Forum's closing Gala Dinner will gather VIP partners and attendees from around the globe to join Ashoka and our social entrepreneurs in recognizing 15 years of changemaking in the Middle East and North Africa. At the Gala Dinner, Network Partners will have the opportunity to more intimately discuss universal challenges and visions for social change with distinguished Ashoka Fellows, who will be invited to join each table. Guests will also have the unique chance to celebrate the induction of this year's new cohort of Ashoka Arab World Fellows. Partners are invited to reserve seats and tables for representatives of your organizations to gain exclusive access to this celebration and networking space. Confirmed reservations for the Gala Dinner will also guarantee registration of your organization at the Forum and will carry the following benefits: - Featured Logo on Event Website and promotional materials - Featured Logo on all Gala Dinner promotional materials
10 available