“We’re excited to kick-start the biggest Misk Global Forum yet,” Amani Alkhiami, senior research manager at the Misk Foundation, told Arab News.

“We expect to connect and convene thousands of youth leaders, innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs and creatives across 120 sessions and eight unique activations to deliver an event that is for youth, by youth.”

The two-day Misk Global Forum 2022 on Nov. 9 and 10 will bring together industry experts, new and established leaders, entrepreneurs and creators to discuss innovative ways of meeting the challenges associated with change. It will focus on four main areas: skills, leadership development, communities and entrepreneurship.

Organizers said this year’s event aims to bridge the generation gap through effective discussions designed to drive transformations around the world.

Notable guest speakers include health and wellness podcaster Jay Shetty; model and activist Halima Aden; stand-up comedian and producer Mo Amer; professional tennis player Ons Jabeur; Abdul Aziz Al-Loughani, the chairman and CEO of Kuwait-based flower and gift delivery service Floward; and Sara Sabry, who was the first Arab women in space and is the founder of the Deep Space Initiative, a nonprofit group that aims to increase accessibility to space research.

“The Misk Global Forum is one of the world’s biggest youth-led events and we’re pleased to have received more than 40,000 registrations this year,” Omar Najjar, chief program officer at Misk Foundation, told Arab News.

“We will bring thousands of people together in a hybrid format under the theme of ‘Generation Transformation.’

“We believe that what we share is greater than what divides us. And in a fast-changing and complex world, a transformative mindset is vital. It’s a mindset characterized by the conviction that multigenerational dialogue can create lasting positive change on a global scale, one that transforms society and creates a better future for youth.”

Discussions will cover an array of topics, including the Gen Z and millennial mind, embracing transformation, sports for all, gender equality, quality education, philanthropy, happiness, and money.

The forum will open with a live performance by Saudi singer Tamtam at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by an official opening presentation on “Generation Transformation” hosted by senior presenter Sara Murad and keynote speaker Badr Al-Badr, the CEO of Misk Foundation.

“We have a diverse international lineup of global speakers coming to Riyadh, including Time magazine’s 2020’s Kid of the Year Gitanjali Rao (a Colorado teenager who invented a mobile device to test for lead in drinking water), award-winning podcaster Jay Shetty, and Ons Jabeur, a professional tennis player ranked second in the world,” Alkhiami said.

“Through a wide range of inspiring sessions, we hope to host impactful dialogues that break barriers and inspire collective action to address what matters most to youth today.”

The panel discussions and lectures during the event aim to encourage meaningful conversations that lead to positive change in local communities worldwide, organizers said.

The Misk Global Forum was launched in 2016 to inspire dialogue that breaks barriers, inspires change and raises awareness of issues worldwide and across industries. It is the flagship initiative of the MISK Foundation, the mission of which is to create opportunities for societal development through business, literature, culture and science and technology incubators.