If all the inspiration and ambition of the world can be gathered in one place, that would be the phenomenal EXPO2020 Dubai. “The dream as alive!”, says athlete and entrepreneur Mona Yaakoub, who got the chance to visit the EXPO under YLP INC.
Mona, alongside Hany Annan, Martine Zaarour, and Hala Naamani, accompanied by YLP’s Youth Development Delegate Nadine Khaouli and INJAZ’s Executive Director Samar Dani all took part of the trip to Dubai’s Expo, under YLP’s Incubation Programme implemented by YLP’s partner, INJAZ Lebanon.
This learning opportunity offered to the youth was by far the most inspirational one to these young change-makers, according to their testimonials. Being entrepreneurs and startup founders themselves, they were so eager to go out there and witness all the opportunities that await them in the very near future! They discovered a glimpse of what every corner in the world had to offer and they believed that their own initiatives and projects could one day make it to each one of the corners of the world. What had encouraged them more was seeing their friend and colleague Martine showcasing the products from her “Jar Thuraya” initiative in the Lebanon Pavilion. Martine was able to get her initiative to a worldwide international exposition and had thus earned so much exposure and networks.
Having various interests and perspectives, each of the participants were able to discover the Pavilions they wanted, from Women Empowerment to Sustainability to Sports, everything was there! The young leaders felt so inspired to be surrounded by so much culture after having been sitting behind the screens for 2 years because of the pandemic. They felt that they had stepped across every cultural barrier and had gained so much knowledge from the rich cultures surrounding them!
The 4-days trip was an opportunity for the young YLPers to enjoy the immersive cultural experiences and to also take part in the “RewirEd” Summit happening at the Expo, that tackled the Youth’s role in shifting towards a more Innovative Education. The participants also made sure to check out the UN Hub at the Expo, where they felt that the initiatives and projects they were working so hard on were a part of a much bigger international community, the United Nations community.