Global Entrepreneurship Week comes to an end in Bahrain

The Global Entrepreneurship Week was attended by youth from all over the world who descended upon the capital from 17th - 23rd November. Exchanging ideas and opinions the young entrepreneurs were able to talk freely with other aspiring visionaries about their own business ideas and ventures.

The event is an initiative of Kauffman Foundation, a leading global organization that takes care of young business leaders. It is organized by O2 Marketing Communications and hosted by AMA University in Manama.

During the "Global Entrepreneurship Week" the students were divided into four groups. Each group met with different universities and students where they were asked to talk to the students and encourage them to pursue their ideas.

The four groups met with the main organizer and host of Entrepreneurship Week, AMA University, on the last day to discuss what they had learnt and how they had benefited from the weeks activities.

The groups have discussed different issues and ideas such as Women rights and education, also business through advertisement videos and youth organization. Students have discussed the pros and cons of starting a business and entrepreneurship opportunities in the Middle East and Bahrain.

At the end of the event, the group with the best business idea won a sponsorship to go to the UAE and to share their ideas with students from different universities in Dubai. The winning group had introduced the idea of developing a website specialized in video Ads helping entrepreneurship advertise their entrepreneurship ideas, to give them the opportunity to expose their ideas to the world, in order for them to make it happen.

Throughout the world over 11,000 activities were launched during Entrepreneurship Week. Seventy of the world's countries have already taken part in this event, while the Arab world participation was be restricted to two countries; Bahrain and Morocco.

At that end of the closing ceremony, Mr. Mohammed Al Johmani, Managing Director of O2 Marketing Communications, said:

"The young people who took part in Entrepreneurship week highlighted their unique abilities and innovative ideas. Not only did they work extremely hard but they worked well as individuals and in their designated groups."

Mr. Johmani added: "The week has been extremely successful. It has been a positive experience for the young people that took part and will hopefully encourage them to pursue their business ventures." Mr. Johmani also called upon businesses in the Arab World to embrace the vision and enthusiasm of young entrepreneurs, stating that they are our future and should be encouraged to reach their potential. "By encouraging young people with entrepreneurial talent to pursue their passions we will help create a better world," concluded Mr. Johamni in his closing speech.

With an estimated 10-15 million people unemployed in the Arab World, the Entrepreneurship Week highlighted the value that these young leaders can bring to the region. "Although the Arab World has the highest level of unemployment in the world, it does not have to remain like this," said: Mr. Johmani. Current predictions estimate that by the end of 2009 there could be as many as 25 million people unemployed in the Arab World.

In order to reduce the high level of unemployment in the Arab World, researchers have highlighted the importance of job creation through new business ventures, with an emphasis on encouraging young entrepreneurs under the age of 30 years old.

Mr. Jonathan Ortmans, Senior Fellow at Kauffman Foundation and the initiator of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, said: "I am extremely pleased with the success of the week's events. We would like to thank all of the sponsors including O2 for organizing this event and AMA University for hosting it."

Ayman Al Ajami, GM of AIG concluded by saying that he was extremely satisfied with the positive results and feedback from the Entrepreneurship week and noted that the 2009 Entrepreneurship Week will be held in the USA.