Background

The Global Diaspora Week (GDW) is a week dedicated to diaspora communities and their contributions to global development. The GDW is intended to create awareness, enable collaboration and enhance learning amongst those working with diaspora communities in different locations around the world.

The celebration of the Global Diaspora week at the European Level was initiated by the African Diaspora Network in Europe in 2015 in Strasbourg at the European Parliament. Every year innovative projects are presented and a whole-week debate between the Diaspora and State Actors and development agents from Europe and Africa is organized to discuss about how to leverage the contribution of the Diaspora to the economic development of home countries and host countries.

This year the GDW will be celebrated from 5th – to 15th October 2018. At this occasion, the African Diaspora Network in Europe (ADNE) and its partners in collaboration with the European Institutions will take a proactive position and organize activities across Europe and in Africa.

Some of the featured activities are the Global Opening Ceremony  in Brussels on the 5th October crowned a Gala Dinner with the African Diaspora Entrepreneurship Award 2018.

A serie of events is also planned throughout this week with our African and European partners:

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  • A group of Diaspora Experts in ICT will participate to the Youth Connekt Africa Summit in Kigali, Rwanda from the 8th -10th to exchange best practices with Klab Rwanda and other youth from across the Continent.
  • A workshop on how digital communication can help raising awareness and change the narrative around migration on the 10th in Roma, Italia,
  • A workshop on Diaspora and Innovation in Agriculture sector in Austria on the 11th October.
  • The closing ceremony will be hosted on the 15th October 2018 at the President’s Palace in the Valetta, Malta in the Presence of H.E Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta.

SPEAKERS

DIASPORA REPRESENTATIVES, ENTREPRENEURS & EXPERTS

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Program

8h30-9h30: ENTRANCE  for Participants (no entrance is possible after these hours)

10h00-11h45: Plenary session: Global Opening Ceremony (Room JAN4Q1)

Theme: Digital Diaspora: Boosting the Digital Agenda and Innovation in Development

11h45-12h30: African Diaspora Entrepreneurship Award (ADEAward) Ceremony

12h30-14h00: LUNCH

12.30-13.00: Entrance for Speakers who needs access badges

14h00-16h45: Parallel Sessions

14H00 – 15H15

Session 1: Digital innovations and Smart Cities: HealthCare, Energy, Water, Transport and Infrastructure sectors (Room A3G-3)

Session 2: The role of the Diaspora in bridging the Digital Divide in Education and Cultural heritage of the future: From traditional Knowhow to High Tech (Room A3G-2)

15H30 – 16H30

Session 1: Diaspora innovations for agricultural productivity and sustainability (Room A3G-3)

Session 2 : Building bridges: Digital Collaborative tools for Synergies between Diaspora Platforms (Room A3G-2)

17h00-17h45: Closing Session(Room JAN4Q1)

Innovative financial products, means of payment and Diaspora remittances

***

5000

Week attendees

50

innovative Start-ups

50

European Companies

20

Financial Institutions

+ 15

Sectors represented

55

African Countries

ADNE's partners

Since 2017, the African Diaspora Entrepreneurship Award (ADEAward) is hosted during the Opening Ceremony of the Global Diaspora Week to recognize an exemplary Diaspora Personality or Initiative for their role in providing innovative Solutions for Development. Last year, the ADEAward  honoured the Akon Lighting Africa for its contribution in providing electricity by solar energy in Africa.

The candidatures will be submitted to a jury composed of experts in the digital field, representatives of ADNE’s Partner institutions and organizations. The ADEAward 2018 Award will be presented on October 5th, 2018 during the opening ceremony of the Diaspora Week. Send endorsement, nomination and application via the form before 28th September 2018 >>> bit.ly/2CYcqFl

INFORMATION, PARTNERSHIP & SPONSORSHIP

info@africandiasporanetwork.eu

#GDW2018

Organized by

Under the patronage of the European Parliament

ADNE is an umbrella organization for African diaspora in Europe whose primary objective is to mainstream the Diaspora participation in the EU-Africa Partnership and in the agenda  2030 by encouraging and engaging all Africans in the Diaspora in the building of a better future for the African continent.