Dubai 25 March 2011: Under the patronage of HE Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Women's College (DWC) and Ernst & Young jointly organized recently a day-long event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The event, organized on the DWC campus, was titled 'Inspiring and celebrating Women: Past, Present and Future successes'.

Najla Al Awadhi, former Member of the UAE Federal National Council, Deputy CEO of Dubai Media Incorporated, General Manager of Dubai One TV and member of the Regional Board of Directors of the Young Arab Leaders, inaugurated the event and gave keynote speech. Prominent women leaders from the corporate, social and media spheres participated in the various sessions of the event.

The panel discussion on 'Celebrating 100 years of Women Achievements' hosted Nima Abu-Wardeh of the BBC and founder and CEO of Cashy.me, Ginnie Carlier, Partner and MENA Diversity & Inclusiveness Leader at Ernst & Young, Latifa Fikri, President of DWC Alumnae Association and currently holds the position of Vice President at e-vision Etisalat, Nicholle Kingsley, Senior Associate at Herbert Smith and Manal Omar, Regional Program Manager for the Middle East for Oxfam. The event was moderated by Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Associate Director at Dubai Women's College.

The special event also featured breakout sessions, inspirational 'life coach' to motivate women to develop professionally and personally, a fashion show and jewellery parade, a dedicated lounge by Henkel International showcasing essentials and personal care offerings,  an alumnae entrepreneur souk and health check-up by DWC Wellness Center.

Nima Abu Wardeh, explained in her breakout session how to the person can go about managing his money, to live his best life."We all have a dream, something we want to do or achieve in our lifetime. If we don't take control of our finances, we don't stand a chance. Gone are the days when 'a man is the plan' - women especially need to take responsibility, and live their best lives," she pointed out.

Ginnie Carlier said: "As an organization, Ernst & Young is proud of its work culture that promotes the interests and career aspirations of its female employees. Their contributions and insights have made us industry leaders and among the world's best employers for women. Our association with the event at DWC best epitomizes our commitment to supporting women and empowering them to face the challenges of the business world."

Breakout sessions also included a talk on preserving the environment by Habiba Al Marashi. Rawan Albanni presented 'Achieving your potential as an entrepreneur' while Tarifa Ajaif conducted a workshop on 'Realizing yourself and achieving potential.'

Emaratweet was scheduled to update the audience on social media and networking and Manal Omar s on 'Women's empowerment.' The program featured presentations by Nima Abu-Wardeh on the 'Cashy.me project', Ayesha Butti on 'Wrapt Entrepreneurs and inspiration through wrapping' and Dr. Shamsa Abdulla Bin Hammad on 'Women's health and wellbeing'.

- Ends -

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.

About Ernst & Young MENA
The MENA practice of Ernst & Young has been operating in the region since 1923.  For over 85 years, we have evolved to meet the legal and commercial developments of the region. Across the region, we have over 4,200 people united across 20 offices and 15 Arab countries, sharing the same values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com/mena

For more information, please contact:
Abrar Mikkawi
Media and Marketing Coordinator
Dubai Women's College/Higher Colleges of Technology
Tel: 04-208-9269 
Fax: 04-267-3939 
Email: abrar.mikkawi@hct.ac.ae  

© Press Release 2011