Jusoor Third Annual Global Conference
CALIFORNIA
In the midst of all the conflict and tragedy that has enveloped Syria, there is a truly powerful phenomenon taking shape. Young Syrians are building new institutions to strengthen civil society, and investing in themselves in ways that give us deep hope. There is a newfound spirit of empowerment, confidence, and determination.
At our annual gathering, we will celebrate this energy and look for ways to reinforce and galvanize it. The conference will focus on the following themes:
Building a Strong Entrepreneurial Culture and Skill Set Among Syria’s Youth
Syria’s future economy will be well served if we can begin to foster a strong community of entrepreneurs among Syria’s youth. And young Syrians are hungry for this expertise. Meanwhile, it is inspiring to see how many successful Syrian entrepreneurs live around the world, and we will be tapping into these entrepreneurs at the conference. Our two keynote speakers are both tremendously successful entrepreneurs, Fadi Ghandour of Aramex and Omar Hamoui of Admob, and the conference will feature the finalists from Jusoor’s start-up competition.
Education for Syria’s Children
Only 25% of Syria’s children living as refugees in neighboring countries are receiving formal education today. That is a heartbreaking tragedy. At the conference, we will explore what is working and not working to date in the field of refugee education, and we will explore ways to dramatically increase the number of Syrian children receiving basic schooling.
University Education
An estimated 50% of Syrian university students before the war are no longer able to complete their studies. Jusoor has been partnering with US universities and the Institute for International Education to bring Syrian students to study in the US and Europe. We will explore the impact of this program and talk about how to strengthen its impact and increase the number of students we are helping.
Similar to our last two conferences — New York in 2012 and London in 2013 — we expect this conference to draw over 200 participants from around the world, including Syrian leaders in all fields as well as students. We very much hope you will be able to join us.
Together, we can make a profound difference for Syria’s future.