Under the initiative of Women in Leadership, Will Fest 2024, presented by Akiz Tableware was held at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel on Saturday, March 9.
The event was hosted by RFL Houseware in collaboration with Square Food & Beverage Limited and The Daily Star. The 5th edition of Will Fest included the 7th Women’s Leadership Summit, 8th Inspiring Women Awards, and Will Art 2024 in collaboration with Berger Paints and Dreams. This year’s Will Fest celebrates a decade of Women in Leadership.
This year’s theme of Will Fest is “Pursuit of Women’s Economic Independence”. Will Fest 2024 highlights the multifaceted possibilities for women to achieve economic independence. Women from all walks of life will be empowered in various workplaces and in their own lives by achieving economic independence. This year’s edition of Will Fest deals with this timely theme. and recognized them with the due respect they deserve.
The fest brought top professionals from the country’s corporate and development sectors, government officials, academicians, artists and activists, eminent thinkers and policy makers together to share valuable experiences, thoughts, perspectives.
The summit featured an interesting agenda consisting of 2 keynote sessions, 4 panel discussions, 1 insight session and a special session by President Nazia Andalib Prima to celebrate Will’s 10-year journey.
In her opening speech Nazia Andalib Prima said “This year the event’s focus is to encourage women to achieve economic resilience through women’s empowerment and focus on how Will can contribute to that.”
The keynote session speakers of the summit were: Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar, Executive Director, Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurship; S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai, India; and Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Professor and Chairman, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.
Dr. Tulsi Jayakumar said in her speech, “Gender is a social construct, which is associated with organizational practices. Women face various social barriers including institutional biases at the macro, meso and micro levels. Economic independence is essential for women’s empowerment, and thus building self-confidence is crucial.
Other distinguished speakers at the summit were: Zara Zabeen Mahbub, MP, Member, Standing Committee, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Dimitra Niklopoulou, Performance Artist, Greece; Zahida Fiza Kabir, CEO, Sajida Foundation; Md Tajdin Hasan, Chief Business Officer The Daily Star; Saad Jaseem, Area Head of Talent, Culture and Inclusion – APMEA Central, British American Tobacco, Bangladesh; Nazim Farhan Chowdhury, Managing Director, Adcom Limited; Prof. Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh; Nazia Andalib Prima, Visual Artist, President, Women in Leadership – among others.
The summit revolved around multi-faceted and timely topics such as how women can play a leading role in achieving a Smart Bangladesh, what qualities are essential in the future women workforce and how women can build their identity through digital media.
Bangladesh Brand Forum was organized by Will fest 2024 presented by Akiz Tableware. The initiative was also hosted by RFL Houseware, with participation from Square Food & Beverage Limited and The Daily Star; Strategic Partners: Grow N Excel, Bangladesh Creative Forum; Technology Partner: Aamra Technologies Limited; PR partners: Backpage PR; Artistic Partner: Prima Art Foundation. WILFEST 2024, is an initiative of Women in Leadership.
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