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Insight Dubai International Conference to kick off on April 4, 2010

With more than 150 participants from 35 countries

APRIL 1, 2010, Dubai, UAE --Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) , Dubai Women's College (DWC) will inaugurate its annual Insight Dubai 5-day conference focusing on women and empowerment in the Arab world on April 4, 2010. The conference, which is generously sponsored this year by Dr. Suliman's Al Fahim Group and Roots Social Support Voluntary Group, brings together more than 150 Emirati and international students to discuss and exchange knowledge on women's issues.

Organized for the 6^th time, Insight Dubai aims at expanding participants' global awareness regarding differing views on selected women's issues and exploring Arabic governance structures and legal systems. The interactive style of the conference also allows its participants to dispel cultural myths about women and facilitate lasting bonds and networks between conference participants through academic, cultural and entertainment experiences. "I believe that Insight Dubai conference is a life-changing experience for the young women who participate. Getting the chance to spend a significant amount of time engaged in meaningful discussions about leadership and global issues with women from 35 countries results in a new way of seeing the world and building lifelong bridges between cultures." said Dr. Monica Gallant, Business Department Chair at DWC and Co-chair of Insight Dubai conference.

Dr. Suliman's Al Fahim, IIMSAM's Good-well Ambassador, and the main sponsor of Insight Dubai Conference said that the main reason behind sponsoring Insight Dubai is that he found it as an opportunity to support Emirati young women, and encourage them to take the lead in major fields. "Empowerment of female role in the society and work field is core," he added.

Dr. Suliman further pointed out, "Social and charity support work are so close for each other as they are an integrated efforts, I believe supporting educational institutions will support us in encouraging individuals to contribute to this flied, it will raise awareness about individuals responsibilities in our country and it will lead young Emiratis to lead from the front."

International students participating in this year's Insight Dubai event will come from Haiti, Italy, Afghanistan, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Palestine, USA, Poland, Germany, Zimbabwi, Kyrgyzstan, Canada, Australia, Latvia, Kenya, Mexico and Nepal. Emirati and international students will interact in a large variety of activities including participation as a foreign diplomat in a simulated United Nations Security Council crisis, role playing a Sharia Court case, and acting as a participant in a Majlis discussing an important global issue. Panel discussions regarding local issues such as leadership of women in the Middle East in general and the United Arab Emirates in particular, as well as lectures on Human Trafficking and Autism will also take place.

To indulge the rest of the educational systems in Dubai, the organizers of the conference designed a Poster Competition for Emirati high school students to raise awareness about "Autism in UAE". The winners will receive a price and a chance to attend the Autism day at the conference.

The conference will also include site visits to Zayed Grand Mosque, the Federal National Council, and the Heritage Village in order to add to the participants' understanding of the local environment. The program also includes several contributions by Arab women leaders.

Prior to the event, a special cultural awareness workshop was held in preparation for the upcoming Insight Dubai conference. This gathering was significant since international students and local students will work together in small groups to examine important global issues. Wael Al-Sayegh, a UAE national cultural consultant and founder of ALGHAF HRC Cultural Consultants, presented the session to help the students formulate culturally sensitive ways to explain local culture. The students debated how to answer questions such as "Why do local women wear black?" and "How do you feel about arranged marriages?" which are typical questions often asked by international students. "This session is very helpful for the students. While they certainly know their own culture, they often have difficulty explaining it to others, especially in English," noted Dr. Monica.

DWC is the first academic institution to win the Dubai Quality Appreciation Award in 2006. It also initiated and hosted international conferences - empowering women to become global leaders.

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About Dubai Women's College
Dubai Women's College (DWC), with more than 2,200 students, is part of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) . The HCT is one of the leading higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates with 16 campuses located throughout the country delivering a wide range of quality programs to over 16,500 students. DWC was established in 1989 and offers Bachelor and Diploma degrees in Business, Information Technology, Education, Health Sciences, and Applied Communications. Today, DWC is the quality provider of top-quality National women graduates in Dubai. DWC's mission is to provide a learning environment for young women to "Practice the Future" by developing confidence, professional excellence and an ethical commitment to leadership roles in a rapidly developing local economy.

For more information, please contact
Dubai Women's College/Higher Colleges of Technology
Tel: 04-208-9269
Email: abrar.mikkawi@hct.ac.ae

© Press Release 2010