The Women's World Conference, 2023, which was hosted by Dubai and was organised by Funun Arts, was one of the most incredible celebrations of femininity. It was held at The Metropolitan Hotel. Some of the most influential women in the UAE attended the much anticipated event, inspiring millions with their vision, tenacity, and hard work.
The conference assumed a greater significance as a meeting place for women from many countries, professions, beliefs, and socioeconomic backgrounds who came together to alter how society perceives what it means to be a woman. The Women's Global Conference's main objectives were to empower women by supporting them as they rewrite their lives and envisage a brighter future.
The conference's highlights included professional panel discussions, art exhibitions by some of the most accomplished UAE artists, awards for strong women, a competition for visual arts, and the announcement of Funun Arts' most recent international initiative. Shiba Khan, the founder and CEO of Funun Arts, gave a welcome address before the conference got underway with the UAE's national anthem.
She maintained that it was useless to compare men and women. She spoke of the need to go past revolutions for equality and underlined the need of self-realization and self-improvement as fundamental concepts of empowerment. Shiba greeted the prominent speakers and encouraged them to speak on how their choices in life had shaped their principles and worldviews.
In the first panel discussion, the topic of "Accelerating equality and empowerment" was discussed. Dr. Eng Suaad Al Shamsi, the first Emirati aviation engineer, discussed her experiences working in an industry where males predominated. When one is given the duty of leading a team, she emphasised the necessity for strong decision-making.
The director of the American Aesthetic Medical Clinic in Danube, Dr. Sana Sajan, gave her perspective on the importance of being authentic. Sajan argues that because a woman is complete in herself, she already has a strong inner self and doesn't need the acceptance of others. Asma Al Janahi, a project manager and influential Emirati, stressed the need of setting objectives and putting up work towards achieving them.
Being a woman, in Janahi's opinion, is an opportunity to make a difference rather than a restriction. Roberta Calarese, the founder and CEO of Ghaya Impact Strategy Consultants, offered her opinions on the positive effects that having more women in positions of leadership may have on society by increasing awareness and providing more opportunities for women globally. Dr. Eng Al Shamsi claims that these women leaders are an inspiration to all women because of their conviction and confidence.
There was a performance of a dance piece by Team Sunarthanam that was centred on the life of a woman who overcame adversity. The inclusion of Urdu poetry and an English voice-over that lauded the woman's incredible path towards freedom and self-realization improved the performance.
The panel discussion on "Innovation and technology for gender equality" followed. The Art Bank representative, Marjan Farjam, emphasised her joy at having a connection to both art and business at the same time. She talked about how inspiring it is to be a woman with a mission and how her love of art never fails to motivate her.
CEO of NDigitize and Influencer Naomi D'Souza made a compelling case for the decisions one must make in order to thrive. While doing so is difficult for women in society, she said that having goals and following hobbies are powerful in many ways.
The secondary vice principal of NAIS in Dubai, Crystal C. Goodwin, underlined the value of education in inspiring the future generation. She made a point of saying that early mentoring and assistance might serve as a springboard for women's achievement. After the panel discussion, artist Yuvika Garg led an art therapy session in which she instructed the audience to draw while closing their eyes. The lesson was interesting, fun, and participatory.
"The Rise of Women Is Not the Decline of Men" was the theme of the panel that followed. Sultanat Abdykerimova, an entrepreneur, coach, and consultant from Kyrgyzstan, spoke on the various opportunities open to women and how one's perspective may affect how one perceives the world. Celebrity from Expo 2020 Mira Singh talked about her objectives for the future as well as the value of parental guidance and early mentoring.
The publishing of the book including the works of the top 100 artists was also announced by Funun Arts. In September 2023, the book will be released simultaneously in Dubai and the UK. In addition to representing these artists at several prestigious universities, this book will take part in numerous art festivals and biennales across the world, according to Shiba Khan.
The Most Influential Women prizes were awarded to Halima Abdullah Rashed, Dr. Eng Al Shamsi, Dr. Sana Sajan, Safiya Bari, Habiba Al Marashi, Harjyot Oberoi, Sultana Kazim, Crystal C Goodwin, Abida Hussain, Naomi D' Souza, Desiree Vlekken, Marjan Farjam, Asma Al Janahi, Roberta Calarese, Bindu C Chettur, Mona AL Assad, Petra Mueller, Shadab Khan, Reema Mahajan, Ritu Chaturvedi, Rania Ali, Fiza Khan, Maitha Al Balooshi, Sultanat Abdykerimova, and Mira Singh.
Also recognized as excellent artists and competition winners were Khaled Asi (abstract), Roa Al Madani (portrait), Manal Dandan (landscape), Kimiya Hashemi (calligraphy), Sabah Anees (Pop Art), and Osama (photography). Ritu Chaturvedi, Rania Ali, Fiza Khan, Maitha Al Balooshi, Sultanat Abdykerimova, and Mira Singh are among the other participants.
The Green Revolution, Sterling Perfumes, and Dabur are grateful gift partners as well as Mohamed and Said from Expert Mark Group. The green revolution gave one plant to every guest as a kind of welcome to encourage people to connect with nature and take steps to conserve it. Together we plant a better future is their motto. Dabur provided their superior skin nourishment, which was ideal for the event, and Sterling perfume sponsored the lovely aroma fragrances.
"For a very long period, we had been fostering the idea of the Women's World Conference. As two women who struggled to achieve their goals, we stand here with pride. Never is it a journey conducted alone. The Funun team is made up of thousands of women who work together to achieve one another's ambitions.
We believe that this conference has considerably improved the sense of power as women, and we should support one another along the path, adds Shiba Khan. In addition to founding Funun Arts, Shiba Khan is a well-known artist and art activist, while Farah Khan is a well-known photographer and food blogger.
The range of roles these ladies play in their life and their success in whatever they undertake may serve as a wonderful source of inspiration for everyone. The Khan sisters were granted a cultural visa in honour of their exceptional contributions to world art and culture.
