AIESEC Egypt will host AIESEC international conference “Middle East and North Africa Exchange and Leadership Development Seminar” next Friday at the Sol Melia hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh.
AIESEC provides its members the opportunity to explore new countries through international internships where they gain different cultural perspectives as well as take part in development projects that enhance their leadership capabilities. The world’s largest student run organization is comprised of 50,000 active members and 80,000 alumni from 107 countries. AIESEC was nationally launched in 1948 and its network in Egypt was initially formed in 1974 by a small group of young students aiming to reach one goal: “Peace and fulfillment of humankind potential.”
Throughout the past 37 years, AIESEC Egypt has acquired prominence. More than 600 members have won the UBS Regional Excellence Award, the most prestigious award given by AIESEC international.
“MENA XLDS” is the fifth annual conference where over 250 young leaders from 30 territories along with top management of 30 companies come together to bridge the cultural gap between the multinational participants.
The seven-day conference will encompass workshops, special events and wide-ranging discussions to share different ideas and experiences. This year, the conference will shed light on the current situation in Egypt and in the region as it brings together youth leaders from MENA countries and other parts of the world.
“Members will share their vision and ideas of sustainable economic activity for the MENA region. They will develop a profile of a leader needed for the region in the current context and raise the awareness of the importance of youth empowerment,” said Lavinia Dieac, AIESEC corporate communication manager.
The regional conference is usually held in one of the MENA countries during March of every year. AIESEC Egypt won the bid for hosting the conference this year and has already hosted the conference once before. In recent years, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordon have hosted the conference as well.
Dieac pointed out that AIESEC Egypt aims to promote the county’s position internationally. Two-hundred people are expected to come, and some of them will tour Egypt in an organized trip after the conference ends. Asked if they were worried about foreigners refusing to come to Egypt due to the current political situation, Dieac said that some of them have canceled already, but most of them show interest in coming.
“Global Village” is the first event that takes place on the day of the opening ceremony. Non-AIESEC members are welcome to attend. The Global Village is a “journey around the world” in less than sixty minutes, during which each delegation will demonstrate its own unique cultural habits and traditions, explained Dieac.
“Egyptian Night” is another event that focuses on Egypt’s cultural and historical heritage. “Food, music, and traditional clothes will be exhibited during this event, along with key information about Egypt and the Middle East,” said Dieac.
The Global business community is another theme that will be addressed in the “Youth to Business Forum.” During the event, young leaders and business experts will participate in interactive activities and discussions in an effort to broaden the youth’s understanding of the main global strategies affecting business.
What distinguishes MENA XLDS 2011 the most is that it is run by young people aged 19-25 and targets the same age bracket through its activities. Candidates must be students or recent graduates and must to pass rigorous interviews in order to gain admission to the program. During the interviews, they evaluate leadership competencies, skills, English-language ability, and motivation in order to select promising members capable of well representing their home countries.
