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Today is undoubtedly a significant day in Bahrain’s calendar as the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center welcomes the World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum (WEIF) 2017. This is one of the biggest and the most prestigious business events of the year in Manama, and will continue until November 2.

Organized under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain and in cooperation with UNIDO ITPO, the forum will bring together under one roof, leading and starting entrepreneurs, prominent local and international speakers, innovators, and curious visitors. The startups who just made their first steps and the ones that are a bit more mature will have the chance to meet investors and business angels in person.

This year, the leading forum theme is “Achieving the SDGs through Promoting Entrepreneurship & Innovation.” It consists of three sub-themes, listed below:

Maritime-Continental Silk Road (MSCR)

As Bahrain now serves as a secretariat to the MCSR Entrepreneurs Alliance, it will focus on revitalizing and strengthening of the economic and business ties between the nations of the traditional Maritime-Continental Silk Road. Manama will work hard to establish connections between entrepreneurs working in the field to share best practices and collaborate on future projects. It is also among Bahrain’s primary goals to ease access to funding and to link financial to non-financial services for the small and medium-sized enterprises.

Global Impact Investing

The role that the Global Impact Investing play in achieving the United Nation’s SDGs will be presented at the forum. UN estimated that the world needed US$ 2.5 trillion per year to solve the most critical problems in developing countries alone. The speakers and guests will discuss the vital importance that private capital and entrepreneurs play in filling this gap.

Women in Industry

The event will also focus on challenges, threats women face on a daily basis when climbing the career ladder in the industrial world. The most common issues include access to funding and latest technologies, the lack of business support networks and mentorship, the need of technical and management education, the social and cultural barriers, and more. Furthermore, the forum will also highlight the role of female entrepreneurs in achieving the goals of the Bahrain 2030 agenda.

The organizers expect to welcome more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, business professionals, startups, incubators, educational institutions, and anyone interested in entrepreneurship. Some of the prominent guests include representatives of the Islamic Development Bank, the African Development Bank Group, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, Global Entrepreneurship Week, United Nations MCSR Cities Alliance, and much more.

Will you to be there at WEIF 2017 today?