Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Bruno Lanvin, Executive Director, INSEAD (France)
• S. Senthilkumaran, Programme Director (IEC), M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (India)
• Mitakshara Kumari, Associate Director, Price Waterhouse Coopers (India)

Organized by UNESCO

“Leadership and Society” explores the implication of the financial crisis on business leaders as firms, societies and economies re-position themselves. It touches on values and ethics, risk taking boundaries, corporate social responsibility and social safety nets, human capital development and social networks.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Ravin Jesuthasan, Managing Principal of Towers Perrin (USA)
• Nazir Razak, CEO of CIMB Group (Malaysia)
• Juan Navarro, Board Member of Axiata Group Berhad (UK)
• Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (UAE)
• Martin Gargiulo, INSEAD Associate Dean of Executive Education (Singapore)

Organized by Khazanah Nasional Berhad

The interviews solicit the points of view of various Commonwealth country personalities on the challenges and opportunities of nurturing respect and understanding in diverse societies.  The interviews are an extension of  ‘Civil Paths to Peace’, the report of the Commonwealth Commission on Respect and Understanding chaired by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen that examined the causes of conflict, violence and extremism in Commonwealth countries.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Sam Egwu, Minister of Education (Nigeria)
• Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education (Sri Lanka)
• Zahiya Zareer, Former Minister of Education (Maldives)
• Duncan Hindle, Director-General, Department of Education (South Africa)
• Hasmy Agam, Executive Chairman, Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (Malaysia)
• Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hassan Shahabudin, Vice Chancellor, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malaysia)
• Zainah Anwar, Project Director for Musawah, Sisters in Islam (Malaysia)

Organized by CEMCA / Commonwealth of Learning

While the solutions and knowledge to manage the effects of climate change exist, they are not getting to where they are most needed. "Practical Solutions to Empower Vulnerable People and Communities" explores the challenge of helping vulnerable communities find practical solutions that enhance their resilience and adaptive capacities against the adverse effects of climate change.

Rinalia Abdul Rahim (far left) at the Global Humanitarian Forum 2008 with Dame Barbara Stocking (Director, Oxfam, Great Britain); Jeffrey Sachs (Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University); Rajendra Pachauri (Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); Bert Koenders (Minister of Development Cooperation, Netherlands); and David Nabarro (UN System Senior Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza)

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Judith Rodin, President of Rockefeller Foundation
• Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General of World Conservation Union
• Madeleen Helmer, Head of Red Crescent/Red Cross Climate Center
• Dean Hirsch, President of World Vision International
• Samuel Korbia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches

Organized by Global Humanitarian Forum

“Getting Into the Business of Social Innovation” enables young entrepreneurs, investors and development practitioners from around the world to learn from experts about social entrepreneurship and how the fusion of social innovation and business can catalyze sustainable socio-economic development for communities in developing countries.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

 

Panelists:
• Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director of ICT, Science & Technology Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Ethiopia)
• Anwar Ali Mustafa Jumabhoy, Senior Vice President, Malaysia Venture Capital Management (Malaysia)
• Brad Kane, Director of International Development & Strategic Initiatives, TechSoup Global (USA)
• Christoph Roessner, Head of Project Development, Fundación ChasquiNet (Ecuador)
• Sunit Shrestha, Director, Thai RuralNet Institute (Thailand)

Organized by Global Knowledge Partnership

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim
Speaker: Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Organized by Global Knowledge Partnership

"United Nations Global Forum on Access and Connectivity" explores innovative approaches and viable financial models that can connect the unconnected in rural and remote areas with mobile and wireless communications.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Talal Abu Ghazaleh, Chairman and CEO of Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organization
• Koesmarihati Sugondo, Committee Member, Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body
• Yuri Grin, Deputy Director, International Telecommunications Union
• Peter Hellmonds, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Nokia Siemens Network
• Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of the UN GAID
• Paul Hengeveld, Public Sector-General Services Administration Director, Microsoft Corporation.

Organized by United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development

“Transforming the World Through Entrepreneurs” makes the case for social entrepreneurs and social investing as effective means of achieving sustainable development.  By comparing experiences from developed and emerging economies, it examines new ideas, strategies and ways in which philanthropists and investors can collaborate to nurture social entrepreneurs and innovations.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Mike Perreau, Founder and Managing Director of Pi Management Ltd & Founding Board member of Transformational Business Network (UK)
• Claynor Fernando Mazzarolo, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Capital Technology Park (Brazil)
• Yousef Nusseir, Chief of Information and Communication Technology Division, UNESCWA (Lebanon)
• Murari S Jagan, Consultant, Onca Consultants (India)

Organized by UNESCO and Global Knowledge Partnership

Poverty is a global challenge and requires innovative cross-sector partnerships to address effectively.  “Closing the Poverty Gap” explores examples from Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh on how governments, the private sector and other actors in development can collaborate to close the poverty gap.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Muhyiddin Mohd Yasin, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries (Malaysia)
• Mari Pangestu, Minister of Trade (Indonesia)
• Geeteara Safiya Choudhur, Minister Adviser to Ministry of Industries (Bangladesh)
• Mohd. Yusof Noor, Chairman of FELDA (Malaysia)

Organized by World Islamic Economic Forum

“ICT Innovations for Development” focuses on technological innovations that empower people in d eveloping countries, giving them access to information, communication channels and the means to support their livelihoods.  It also explores the role of cross-sector partnerships and financing that sustain such innovations.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Panelists:
• Walter Fust, Director General, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
• Daan Boom, Principal Knowledge Management Specialist, Asian Development Bank
• Sridhar Y. Ramaswamy, Director South Asia, Marketing, Intel Corporation
• Ashok Khosla, Chairman, Development Alternatives

Organized by Global Knowledge Partnership

Rinalia speaks with M.S. Swaminathan and A.T. Ariyaratne at the Dialogue

Rinalia Abdul Rahim interviews M.S.Swaminathan of India and A.T. Ariyaratne of Sri Lanka to draw their deep insights on poverty eradication and development. M.S. Swaminathan is Founder and Chairman of the MS. Swaminathan Foundation.  A scientist and advocate for sustainable development, Swaminathan has won numerous national and international awards and is known as the ‘Father of the Indian Green Revolution’. A.T. Ariyaratne is Founder and President of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement.  He is a champion of peace and community development and has won numerous national and international peace awards. Organized by Global Knowledge Partnership

“Creating Prosperity Through Innovation” gathers representatives from government, business, civil society and academia to discuss cross-sectoral partnerships and opportunities in using information and communications technologies to support Sri Lanka’s national development.

Moderator: Rinalia Abdul Rahim

Organized by Young Asia Television