Under the patronage of the President of the Council of Ministers, His Excellency, Mr. Saad Hariri, NEXUS, the largest private circle of young philanthropists, impact investors, and change-makers around the world held its inaugural Arab Future Summit in Beirut at Villa Linda Sursock over two consecutive days on October 6 and 7. This marked the beginning of a new means of collaboration for the Middle East and North Africa initiated NEXUS.
The summit welcomed over 70 delegates and experts to the villa for closed sessions. The debates included three tracks: to encourage impact investing in regional social innovation opportunities to attract capital from the Arab Diaspora back to the Middle East, to explore strategies to increase the allocation of government and humanitarian aid into unique homegrown solutions that are alleviating the refugee and displacement crisis, and finally, to contribute a new Arab narrative onto the international stage.
The sessions were attended by key experts and speakers who facilitated the drafting of public policy briefings that will be later compiled and submitted to government heads around the world.
“The Arab region is in turmoil. We continue to be a battlefield for unceasing bloodshed and human tragedy in Syria, in Yemen, in Sudan, in Iraq. We are fragile. There is a need for serious efforts to give birth to peace. Such an ambition can only be achieved with clear-cut public policies that engage impactful citizens and leaders in the region and from our region living abroad. Only together can we facilitate a path towards sustainable solutions,” stated Lynn Zovighian, Regional Director for NEXUS MENA & Arab Diasporas.
Lynn added: “Implementing peace is not solely the responsibility of our governments and international diplomatic institutions. It is on us, capable change makers, who have the resources, capital, and intellectual leadership to make things happen. This is who we are at NEXUS.”
NEXUS is a global network of capable citizens, serious about making things happen. The inaugural Arab Future Summit is the first big step to activate the network’s leadership in the Middle East. Their work focuses on energizing its membership by facilitating summits to capacity-build its members and support their ability to broker long-term partnerships to effect change.
NEXUS is a global initiative that connects different communities around the world by bringing together the younger generation that are capable change-makers from 70 countries. NEXUS, the largest private circle was founded in 2011, and is focused on being a catalyst for a change by promoting a global culture of philanthropy.
