Paris Peace Forum: For Multilateral Solutions and a More Inclusive World

Founder/CEO of Save Our Needy Organisation, Marvella Odili, was invited to the 5th edition of the Paris Peace Forum held Nov 11th-12th at the Palais Brongniart, the first in-person forum since after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent restrictions to present her project, "Project Empower."

In a world requiring more collective action to "ride out the multi-crisis" we face in the world today, the Paris Peace Forum is a platform open to those seeking to develop coordination, rules and capacities to answer global problems.

The forum explored ways to mitigate the multiple shocks by fostering a renewed cooperative world order and multilateralism as well as launching transnational issues, solutions and debates.

This year, the Space for Solutions showcased 60 projects tackling issues at the core of the 5th edition.

The global event gave opportunities for sharing of ideas, collaboration and networking among participants and guests.

New France-Africa Summit: A New Beginning, A New Partnership

From Paris to Montpellier, France, it was a week of activities from October 4th to October 10th for our Founder/CEO, Marvella Odili, who was invited by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the French Embassy, Nigeria to participate in 3 major events: Ambition Africa, The Bpifrance Inno Génération (BIG) and The New Africa-France Summit hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.

Entrepreneurs, artists, creators, researchers, captains of industry, technocrats, innovators, students, sports personalities and NGOs from France and all over Africa came together under one platform to brainstorm, share ideas and collaborate on the New France-Africa partnership where civil society will take centre stage.

For President Emmanuel Macron, France must assume its fair share of "Africanness" noting that nearly 7 million French people are intimately linked to Africa.

He reiterated France's pledge to return artworks that were looted from the Abomey Palace in Benin at the end of the 19th century.

During this working visit to France, Marvella talked about her work on the empowerment of marginalized women and the education of marginalized girls to people from all walks of life.

She was fortunate to meet the incoming France Ambassador to Nigeria who was gracious enough to take pictures with her.

It was also a time to rediscover Paris and discover Montpellier.

Suffice it to say, it was truly a great learning and exchange experience; an unforgettable one.

Marvella Odili, Specially Invited To Day of The Digital Woman In Paris

Marvella Odili, Founder and CEO of Save Our Needy Organisation was specially invited as one of the 5 winners of the French International Prize to Day of The Digital Woman (La Journée de la Femme Digitale), founded by Delphine Remy-Boutang who is also the Founder of THE BUREAU. The annual event promotes the talents and initiatives of women in technology. The event gives women from all walks of life the opportunity to network and share knowledge, and experiences. 

L-R: Marvella Odili, Nina Ratsirarson, Sonia Nare, Essivi Acakpo-Addra

  

This year’s event which took place on April 17^th at Maison Radio France in Paris, was the 7^th Edition and the theme was Women: World Changers “Elles Changent Le Monde.” The event hopes to create a more inclusive digital world.

Speakers at the event included Karine AUGOYAT- Capgemini Invent, Gilles BABINET-Digital Champion for France, European Commission, Shanty BAEHREL, CEO Shanty Biscuits, Sandrine BOUCHER- Director of Innovation, AFD, Delphine BOURBON-Head of Digital Excellence and Performance,Air France, Fabienne DULAC-Managing Director,Orange France, Anne-Flore Chappelier-Co-founder and General Manager,My Little Paris,Sarah-Diane ECK-Vice-president France Digitale, Caroline ELBAZ- HR Director,Oracle, Karim SY,Chairman, Digital Africa, Gilles Fontaine- Editor-in-chief, Challenges, Vincent GIRET-Director, FranceInfo, Stephanie Hospital- Founder/CEO, OneRagTime, Anne RIGAIL-Managing Director, Air France, Lubomira ROCHET- Chief Digital Officer, L’OREAL, 

Some of the speakers at the event

Guillaume BREGERAS-Journalist,Les Echos, Nathalie COLLIN-Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Digital and Communication, LE GROUPE LA POSTE, Luc DAMMANN- VP & GM West Europe, ADOBE, Florianne de LONGVILLIERS – Commercial Executive, MICROSOFT, Valérie LAUGIER-Vice-President Digital and Innovation, Total Marketing and Services, Marie-Christine LEVET- Founder & Chairwoman, EDUCAPITAL, Momar NGUER- President, Marketing & Services, Total, Céline MAS- Chairwomen, UN Women France, Cédric O, State Secretary for Digital, French Government, Justine RYST- Director of Partnerships, Google France, Marlène SCHIAPPA, Secretary of State Gender Equality & Anti-Discrimination, French Government, Jennifer TIDY- VP Senior Partnerships, MODIFACE, Sibyle VEIL- CEO, Radio France, Sandrine DELAGE, BNP Paribas, Mathieu DOUGADOS- Managing Director, CAPGEMINI INVENT, France.

Marvella Odili, Founder/CEO of Save Our Needy at the event

 

Marvella Odili at Day of Digital Women

During the course of the event, 55 young female entrepreneurs who won the Total StartUppers Challenge were presented to the audience.

Cross section of winners of Total StartUppers Challlenge

Marvella Odili admiring 2018 laureat of Margaret Prize, Rozanne Varza

The day ended on a very eventful note as two winners were awarded The Margaret Prize, a Prize which pays tribute to the famous computer scientist from NASA, Margaret Hamilton, who contributed to the first human going to the moon. Each year, two laureats are awarded the European Margaret Of the Year and the African Margaret Of The Year. Julie Davico-Pahin, President and Co-Founder of Ombrea was awarded European Margaret 2019 and Cameroonian, Arielle Kitio, Founder of Caysti was awarded African Margaret 2019. Previous laureats include Roxanne Varza and Joséphine Goube.

L-R: Recipients of the Margaret Prize with event hosts

The Margaret Prize celebrates women using digital technology to create a better world.

#JFD #LesMargaret