On Tuesday 24 June 2025, the Arab International Women’s Forum and our partners at the Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) initiative co-hosted a spectacular day of conference at the Royal Academy of Engineering, ‘Women Building Resilient Communities’, as part of London Climate Action Week 2025.
AIWF President & Founder Haifa Al Kaylani OBE co-chaired this very special event with Dr Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director of Brand and Strategic Initiatives at Masdar, and Program Director of WiSER, and delivered a keynote in the opening session alongside Dr Fawwaz, Dina Saleh (Chief of Staff in the Office of the President and Vice President, International Fund for Agricultural Development) and Dr Angela Wilkinson (Secretary General of the World Energy Council, by video).
The conference presented a vital contribution from the AIWF and WiSER communities to global dialogue on women’s critical role in mitigating climate change and innovating sustainable, equitable and inclusive solutions towards a better future for people and planet. We welcomed 120 senior and emerging women leaders working in government, the international institutions, ESG, STEM, finance, business, entrepreneurship, civil society and higher education, including a number of Masters students and early career researchers. And we heard from outstanding session chairs and panel speakers who shared valuable expertise and perspectives with us on sustainable agriculture, AI in sustainability, access to finance for female-led ventures, and youth climate advocacy, representing diverse sectors spanning non-profit organisations, private sector corporations, international institutions and civil society – among them:
The World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the UAE Permanent Mission to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Expect AI, Teens in AI, Arabia Insurance, Globechain, Elite Agritech, Crop Trust, the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association, the University of Bahrain, the Royal University for Women Bahrain, the London School of Economics, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Global Climate Finance Centre, and many others.
AIWF always looks forward and aims to deliver positive and productive impact through all our initiatives that will benefit women and young leaders in the region and meaningfully support their economic and social inclusion towards a peaceful and more prosperous future for the MENA Region overall. We are now working closely with our partners at WiSER to capture the rich conclusions from yesterday’s sessions in a report to be published in the coming few months and which we shall be proud to share with policy makers in the region and globally.
Further details, video highlights and photos will be published on the AIWF website over the coming few days. We extend our warmest thanks and appreciation to all our guest speakers who took time from busy schedules to be with us for this event, including:
HE Dr Nawal Al Hosany, UAE Permanent Mission to IRENA
Dina Saleh, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Dr Angela Wilkinson, World Energy Council
Dr Julian Lampietti, The World Bank
Hassan Halawy, Elite Agro
Joanna Purcell, Crop Trust
Professor Rym Ayadi, Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association
Dr Anand Verma, Expect AI
Elena Sinel, Teens in AI
Sarah El Battouty, EOCONSULT & National Council for Women Egypt
Nadine El Habbal, Further Edge & Arabia Insurance
Wedad Almarzooqi, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank & WiSER Pioneer
May Al Karooni, Globechain
Constance Chalchat, BNP Paribas
Sophia Swire, Gender Equity Diversity Investments
Dana Kupova, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development
Michael Liebreich, Liebreich Associates
Maxine Chehab, Senior Investment Manager
Dr Hanan Albuflasa, University of Bahrain
Hajar Al Ketbi, UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
Professor Hayat Sindi, iQ & UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for STEM
Camilla Melis, G20 EU Youth Delegate & WiSER Pioneer
Dr Christelle Comair, Royal University for Women Bahrain
Fatima Behzad Afghan, Drainage Systems Projects Engineer & WiSER Pioneer
Gihan Hyde, CommUnique
Dr Souad Mohamed, London School of Economics and Political Science
Amina Sunday Merkebawi, TAG International
Terri Wills, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
Mercedes Vela Monserrate, Global Climate Finance Center
