Dubai Strategy Forum 2002 and Visa International launch global essay competition

The organisers of the second Dubai Strategy Forum 2002, in association with Visa International, the world's leading payment system, have launched a global essay competition in an attempt to open the doors to world dialogue on major issues facing this region.

The author of the winning 2,000 word submission, entitled 'How can our region meet its key challenges?', will receive a US$ 5,000 prepaid Visa card and will be invited to attend the Forum in an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai, October 28-30. The winning essay will be featured in future Dubai Strategy Forum publications.

Participants have until October 15, 2002 to submit their work via a special microsite link to the Forum's dedicated website, which also expands on competition guidelines, - www.dubaistrategyforum.ae.

At the Forum, the winner will join more than 1,000 of the region's government and business leaders, along with key representatives from academia, media and civil society.

They will engage in open dialogue on the future of the region, which embraces North and East Africa, Central and South Asia, the broader Middle East, including the Gulf States. His Highness, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, is also scheduled to play a key role at the three-day meeting.

According to the Forum's chairman, Mohammed Al Gergawi, the main debate this year, themed Creating Networks of Growth, focuses on the opportunities and challenges facing the region, which comprises 1.8 billion people, 31 countries and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimated at US$1.5 trillion.

"The region that is dubbed 'the third world' by many economists and media, actually houses one third of the world's people and is ripe to develop opportunities to impact the global economy," he said.

"However, such opportunities do not come without challenges and it is the management of these challenges that we have selected as the topic of the essay competition."

Gergawi confirmed that the competition is open to participant's world wide.

Peter Scriven, general manager of Visa International in the Middle East, representing 12 of the 31 countries identified by the Dubai Strategy Forum as instrumental in region-wide development, pledges Visa's support of the competition as a key vehicle to broaden the channels open to dialogue.

"We are delighted to be involved in such an important event and to support the Dubai Government for the greater good of the region. We believe that the Essay competition forms an integral part of the programme and will assist in highlighting key issues and identify workable strategies for the region," he said.

"As a recognised global brand that is involved in people's everyday life, we have long-since been engaged in cross-border business strategies to great success and are particularly encouraged knowing that a key aim of the Forum is to encourage positive change thus giving something back to the community."

The Dubai Strategy Forum initiative, kicked off last year, stands as an example of Dubai's appreciation that the region has nearly one-third of the world's people, but only five per cent of its total wealth.

"Consequently, we agree that the countries involved have a responsibility to enhance the region's collective influence on the global economy," said Scriven.

"Given these facts, we support Dubai's vision of the region taking responsibility for advancing its collective prosperity."

Consisting of more than 20 sessions and workshops over three days, the Forum is driven by key categories of government, business and technology.

The first day of the three-day event, which will be held at the purpose-built Convention Centre at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, will focus on how governments need to evolve, if not revolutionise, their approach and culture to better fit the demands of economic and commercial growth.

Day two will spotlight economic and business issues, including an innovative look at how a country's strategic development can benefit from the global strategies of multinational corporations.

The final day sees innovation & technology under the spotlight, as well as a panel discussion to close this year's event. The panel is set to comprise business, media and opinion leaders from home and abroad and addresses the question 'What will the region look like in five years?'.

In addition to Visa, the meeting has also attracted the attention of other leading brands on board as Organising Partners to help steer the Forum in achieving its goals.

These are : Dubai Media City, the rapidly emerging global media hub; ENOC, a leader in upstream and downstream activities in the oil and gas sector; Emirates, the UAE's national airline; the GCC's leading English newspaper, Gulf News; National Bank of Dubai, Dubai's national bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the international firm of auditors and business advisors.

Activity sponsors include : Booz Allen Hamilton; General Motors; Jumeirah Beach Residence; Mashreq Bank; Oracle and Visa.