ABCC celebrates International Women's Day
The inherent resilience within women was the key point of discussion at the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) International Women 's Day celebration, writes Feron Jayawardene.
The event was held on Wednesday, 8 March at Hotel du Vin, with the attendance of members and guests.
ABCC co-presidents Amina Hussain and Omar Rashid welcomed the guests and speeches were given by biochemist and CEO of Entec Si Eman Al-Hillawi, co-CEO of the Birmingham Museums Trust Sara Wajid, GuruYou founder Rebecca Mander, and Latifa Facer from South & City College Birmingham.
Sara Wajid, the first Asian museum director of the UK, spoke about solidarity that women should have.
She said: “I fell in love with Birmingham especially because of the solidarity that I saw within women. Without this solidarity, you tend to tire quickly.
“We need leadership among women and more importantly, we must hold every leadership position accountable if we are to embrace equity. ”
Rebecca Mander related her inspiring journey through loss and tragedy to become a successful business coach.
She said: “We should watch our messages we give to young people, especially women. We must be cautious of how we communicate and have strong mentors around us.
“We also have to think about what we can do during 2023 that we can later reflect on the coming year and encourage more women to come forward. ”
Eman Al-Hillawi said: “Discussing the challenges that women face collectively is a massive step forward and women must build better networks among themselves.
“We have the ability to influence and create opportunities for more women and we should make it happen. We must represent our communities and be a reflection of them while educating people and calling out when there are problems.
An expert panel discussion around this year 's IWD theme 'Embrace Equity ' was also held, featuring all four speakers.
The discussion was hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce CEO Henrietta Brealey.
The event was sponsored by South & City College Birmingham.
Principal Mike Hopkins said: “South & City College Birmingham is one of the largest and most successful further education colleges in the region, with years of experience in supporting organisations to recruit and develop a workforce that meets their needs.
“We have access to industry-standard resources and the finest quality tutors to ensure your recruitment and training needs are tailored to you.
“With over 22,000 full time students and over 900 apprentices, we have a wealth of potential talent ready to be your workforce of the future. ”
Pictured from left to right: Henrietta Brealey, Omar Rashid, Eman Al-Hillawi, Amina Hussain, Latifa Facer, Rebecca Mander, and Sara Wajid.