Minister Tinée Furbert, JP, MP, Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, proudly announces the upcoming 2024 Mary Prince Women’s Entrepreneurial and Leadership Conference and free public lecture.
These events, taking place on Monday and Tuesday, June 10th and 11th, are set to empower and inspire Bermuda’s small business women entrepreneurs and leaders.
The speaker for the conference will be Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, the first female Chairperson of Nigeria’s Premier Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, who has had a remarkable journey from a small business owner to leader of one of Africa's Largest financial institutions.
Her insights into ethical leadership, strategic growth, and transformative decision-making will offer attendees invaluable knowledge to elevate their business and leadership capabilities.
Minister Furbert remarked, “The United Nations Joint SDG Fund Programme: ‘Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment,’ has been key in helping to identify inequality and disparity among women in Bermuda. Our partnership with UN Women over the past two years has fostered significant engagement aimed at creating new opportunities for women’s empowerment and initiating meaningful change.”
The conference, conceived by Bermudian small business entrepreneur, filmmaker, and media specialist Dr. Dana Selassie, a client of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, was sparked by her participation in two pivotal events where she engaged with Mrs. Awosika. The first was the Yemenja Networking Workshop for Women Entrepreneurs held in Jamaica, sponsored by the UN Women Multi-Country Office - Caribbean.
Dr. Selassie was recommended by the BEDC to participate in this event and sponsored by UN Women in support of the Joint UN Programme. The second event was the International Women's Leadership Conference in Dubai, where Dr. Selassie was sponsored by UN Women, along with twelve other women from across the Caribbean.
Dr. Selassie's vision for a women’s conference in Bermuda with Mrs. Awosika was brought to life through collaborations with UN Women, and the support of the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), and the UN Women through the joint SDG Fund Programme.
Minister Furbert expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Awosika to Bermuda, where she will lead the Mary Prince Women's Entrepreneurial and Leadership Conference and the free public lecture. Her global contributions to supporting women entrepreneurs and business leaders align perfectly with our Ministry’s objectives to promote and advance gender equality and support Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises through accelerator programs with the BEDC.”
Tonni Brodber of UN Women Multi-Country Office- Caribbean and her team, played a crucial role in securing Mrs. Awosika's participation. Ms. Brodber stated, “I urge all of Bermuda’s women entrepreneurs to seize this opportunity to engage with Mrs. Awosika at the free public lecture. Mrs Awosika’s programme has not only consistently provided women entrepreneurs with invaluable tools for leadership and entrepreneurial success, but she is also incredibly inspirational and motivational. UN Women is pleased to partner with Bermuda’s Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors and the BEDC in bringing Mrs. Awosika to Bermuda for the first time.”
The conference will feature an intensive two-day master class for a select group of women entrepreneurs and business leaders and a free public lecture at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) on Monday, June 10th from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm.
The 2024 Mary Prince Women’s Entrepreneurial and Leadership Conference and public lecture promises to be landmark events for Bermudian women, especially entrepreneurs, who will greatly benefit from Mrs. Awosika's presence and insight.
Admission to the public lecture is free but registration is required. Please visit the BEDC website for registration at www.bedc.bm. Please support the women vendors who will have light refreshments on sale.