Opening Event

The inaugural event included several speeches indicating the beginning of the week's activities, which began with verses from the Noble Qur’an and then the national anthem. The speeches were as follows:
• The Executive Director of the Rowad Foundation, Ms. Somaya Mustafa, gave a speech about the role of the Rowad Foundation as the official host of the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Yemen.
• Mr. Abdullah Al-Arasi gave a speech about Tadhamon Bank, and a video clip was shown about the role and services of Tadhamon Bank.
• Dr. Sharaf Al-Kebsi gave a brief speech on the National Microfinance Foundation.
• A short video was shown to introduce the Global Entrepreneurship Week.
• A video of the Global Network of Global Entrepreneurship was shown.
• (GEW) event coordinator Adam Al-Harazi reviewed the agenda for the activities of the World Week and what will be done during the week.
• A video has been shown containing a countdown indicating the launch of the activities of the Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The event included a short break for half an hour and then the event resumed and was as follows:
• A video clip of Lamasat Advertising Company was shown.
• The most prominent achievements of the Rowad Foundation for the past year were presented:
o Presentation on the Global Entrepreneurship Cup, which was held by the Rowad Foundation last year in the governorates of Sana'a, Marib, Taiz and Hadramout, which was delivered by Mr. Rami Al-Huwaidi, and a brief video clip of the Global Entrepreneurship Cup was shown.
o A video clip was shown about Bin Al-Yaman (Yemeni Bin) and a simple speech was given to explain the content of the video, which was clarified by Ms. Abeer Al-Dabai, where the training was in knowing the basics of specialized coffee. The training was attended by 30 people and was held in Taiz Governorate. The most important axes of specialized training in coffee were:
A- Evaluate the quality of coffee.
B - Knowledge of coffee chains.
C- Forecasts of global markets interested in coffee.
C- Tasting the coffee.

Within the inaugural event a debate on loans and grants:

The debate between civil society institutions and the microfinance sector. The debate was moderated by Mr. Ahmed bin Mubarak, a management and business development consultant.

1. Representatives of civil society institutions:

• Rowad Foundation represented by Ms. Somaya Mustafa.
• The Young Leaders Foundation, represented by Ms. Amal Al-Secta.

2. Representatives of the role of the microfinance sector:
• National Finance.
• Azal Finance.
• Tadhamon Bank.
• Al-Kuraimi Bank.

The aim of the debate:
• Reviewing the role of each of the donors of loans or grants, whether from civil society institutions or the microfinance sector, in assisting entrepreneurs.
• Clarifying the role of civil society institutions for entrepreneurs in the idea stage and project construction stage.
• Clarifying the role of the microfinance sector in granting loans to entrepreneurs who own projects in the stage of growth and development.

Debate Outcomes:
Several points were left out of the debate, most notably:

1. The importance of cooperation and partnership between civil society institutions and the microfinance sector, as civil society institutions train, qualify and develop entrepreneurs at the idea stage, while the microfinance sector supports and grants loans to projects that are capable of growth and development.
2. The importance of the role of civil society institutions in supporting and encouraging entrepreneurs to launch their own projects.
3. The importance of the role of the private sector in supporting and encouraging entrepreneurs in developing their projects.
4. Supporting entrepreneurs contributes to the support and growth of the country's economy.