10th WIEF introduces new features to celebrate Dubai as land of creativity and innovation

DUBAI- The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation and Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Dubai Chamber) today(August 26th) unveiled at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur details of the upcoming 10^th WIEF which will be held in Dubai from October 28 to 30, 2014 at the Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre.

The annual forum will be hosted in Dubai for the first time following successes across the globe including Kuala Lumpur, Islamabad, Kuwait, Jakarta, Astana, Johor Bahru and London.  

Themed ‘Innovative Partnerships for Economic Growth’, the Forum aims to forge greater collaboration between nations, bringing a new era of prosperity for the global economy. Innovative partnerships is an important dimension required to recognise and develop different models for economic growth, offering tremendous opportunities for players with varying expertise and resources to join forces to create joint ventures that are greater in value than the sum of their parts.

Recognised for its significant contributions to progress in the global Islamic economy over the last 10 years, the annual forum will highlight Dubai’s pursuit to play a key role in shaping the US$ 8 trillion Islamic economy, and introduce new features to celebrate Dubai as the land of creativity and city which embraces the culture of innovation. The new features include:

• Ideapad: Technology & Innovation Showcase – Platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to give a 15-minute pitch on stage to capture the attention, interest, and potentially, investment, of the forum’s international audience
• Business Exchange – Business match-making programme where selected companies give a three-minute pitch about their business, followed by a networking session with delegates

There will also be a specialised session on the second day of the Forum to inaugurate and drive the Halal bio-economy agenda focusing on food security, healthcare and well-being of the global Muslim community. ‘Mobilising Capital from Waqf, Pension Funds and Unit Trusts: Developing Best Practices’ is another thought-provoking panel discussion which will be introduced at the 10^th WIEF.

These new features will complement the current programme which includes panel discussions, Masterclass sessions, networking events and the Marketplace of Creative Arts Festival (MOCAFest).

Key topics of the 10^th WIEF include:

• Global Economic Outlook: Developing a Resilient Model for Developing Economies
• Global Financial Landscape
• Islamic Finance’s Pivotal Role in Enabling Trade & Streamlining the Halal Supply Chain
• Socialising Education and the Role of Universities
• Retaining Young Talents
• Sustainable Urban Planning – Creating Smart Infrastructure and Holistic Communities
• Rise of Women Entrepreneurs – Developing a Peer Network

The Honourable  Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of the WIEF Foundation said; “The Islamic economy is not insulated from happenings around the world and our focus, at the World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation, is bringing to the fore opportunities which will ensure continued progress for the economy and the people. Three ways we can achieve this are by exploring prospects in smaller, non-majority Muslim markets, leveraging the continued growth of Islamic finance and, represented in our theme for 10^th WIEF, forging innovative partnerships for business success.”

“The upcoming 2015 Asean integration, as well as the increasing purchasing power of Muslim consumers, underscores the strong growth potential of the Islamic economy. Our priority for the 10^th WIEF is bringing global leaders, businesses and all members of the community together to realise these opportunities for sustainable development worldwide. We all have a part to play,” he added.

His Excellency  Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry said, “The Arab world offers one of the most comprehensive and attractive Islamic capital market systems in the world, and Dubai, already the region’s key business hub, is the gateway for businesses to unlock the potential of the Islamic economy across the Gulf and wider Middle East.”

“The close collaboration between the WIEF Foundation, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Dubai Capital of Islamic Economy in preparation for this forum is testament to the success formula of innovative partners for economic growth, and we are confident that more such partnerships will be forged when global leaders and businesses converge in Dubai for the 10^th WIEF,” he added.   

Discussions around economic and social matters continue to be key areas of focus at the annual Forum which is the largest international gathering of heads of government, economic experts and stakeholders to share experiences and knowledge about Islamic economy.

The 10^th WIEF which is expected to be attended by more than 2,500 participants from 140 countries, will offer a global platform to form innovative partnerships based on the seven pillars of the Dubai Capital of Islamic Economy initiative launched in 2013: Islamic finance, Halal food industry, Halal tourism, Islamic digital economy, Capital of Islamic art and design, Centre for Islamic economy standards and certification, and International centre for Islamic information and education.

The 10^th WIEF continues to attract international partners and welcomes more organisations to be part of this prestigious, global Forum through various packages. Benefits include special access to key delegates, usage of Forum assets and resources, as well as numerous branding and communication opportunities.

In addition to the annual WIEF, the Foundation also organises and hosts roundtables, workshops, leadership programmes, business networking forums, internship and scholarship programmes and more such activities to educate, empower, exchange expertise and address economic challenges in a more personalised scale.