Education Key Driver for Nation’s Growth

Education Key Driver for Nation’s Growth

 

Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) today announced the BIBD Youth Empowerment Summit (BIBD YES!), a youth-focused initiative which aims to inspire positive change by reminding the youth that they are never too young to make a difference. Earlier today, a virtual signing ceremomy was held to outline the conference programme and appreciate sponsor organisations.

BIBD’s Chief Marketing Officer, Hjh Nurul Akmar binti Hj Mohd Jaafar said, “As a bank that is Bruneian at Heart, the development of youth and ensuring that the younger generation are made to feel empowered, inspired and motivated to make a change is a cause that is very close to our hearts. This year’s theme “Developing Resilient Future Leaders Together!” for BIBD YES 2021 looks into providing the youths the much needed support amidst everyone resurfacing from the impacts of the pandemic.

She added, “Earlier this year, we launched our Sustainability Framework which will see the Bank commit B$2 billion to sustainability funding by 2030. The goal of this Sustainability Framework is to mobilise society and work together to mitigate the effects of climate change so that the younger generation will inherit a world that is greener, safer and more equitable. What we are doing through our framework, and through BIBD YES, is to lay the groundwork for the future. In Shaa Allah, the partnerships they build within their generation and across different generations will take Brunei closer and closer towards achieving Brunei Vision 2035 and we hope BIBD YES will be able to play a part in this.”

Once again, BIBD will be taking the lead as the Host Sponsor for this year in a collaborative effort to help develop resilient future leaders, together with Double Platinum Sponsor, TOTAL Energies Brunei, Platinum Sponsors – Brunei Gas Carrier, Brunei LNG, CIC Environmental Services, Insurans Islam Taib and Progresif, Gold Sponsor

Jerudong Park Medical Centre, and Silver Sponsors Teck Guan Holdings and McDonald’s. The program is curated by Curious Mind who has been organising the yearly youth empowerment program for the past 3 years. As the event is conducted virtually this year, Platinum Sponsor, Progresif has also donated a total BND 3,600 worth of internet data to help those participants with their connectivity needs especially to empower and support throughout the virtual summit.

Hjh Nurul Akmar went on to say, “We are extremely happy to see a repeat of all of our 2020 BIBD YES! sponsors’ continuous support for this program despite the difficult economic circumstances, together with 5 new sponsors this year; Insurans Islam Taib, Brunei Gas Carrier, JPMC, Teck Guan Holdings and McDonalds who will be joining us in this meaningful endeavor. This is a reflection of the commitment and growing momentum in Brunei’s business community’s emphasis on ‘developing an educated, highly skilled and accomplished people’, through collaborative youth programs in working towards Brunei’s Wawasan 2035.”

This year, 180 students from MOE’s Centre For The Development of Gifted and Talented Education (EDGE) Program will be joining BIBD YES! as the Core Participants for 3 consecutive weeks. Starting the 11th to 27th December, this interactive program will break them into 9 different teams, working independently in small groups to perform team activities and prepare them for presentations to the main audience of 700 General Participants that will be logging in from 35 different schools across Brunei during the virtual summit. Each team will be paired by a sponsor who will be playing a mentorship role to provide guidance and support to enhance their group presentations.

The program will feature a whole new lineup of distinguished international speakers and prominent Brunei speakers to share on specific themes each week. The headliners include a famous Singaporean Music Conductor, Mr Chiya Amos who directs Keith Orchestra in St Petersburg speaking on Adversity and Resilience, Hong Kong’s top comedian and 2018 young person of the year, Mr Vivek Mahbubani speaking on Communications and the leading Omani Climate Change advocate, as well as Ms Rummaitha Al Busaidi whose TED talk has received over 1.2 million views since May this year speaking on Social Impact.

“While this year’s summit is centered on resilience, we are adamant in ensuring that the program incorporates the United Nations’ SDG goals in our program design, so that the youth are constantly reminded that individual efforts can have a reciprocal global impact. Keeping this in mind, we have specifically curated a session entitled Youth for Climate Actions featuring BIBD’s SDG steering Committee facilitating a conversation between YB Khairunnisa Ashari, the founder of Green Brunei and Ms Dina Yahya, Brunei’s Climate Change Secretariat who has recently returned from COP26 Climate Summit to share with us the latest insight from the world stage,” said Shaun Hoon, the Program Curator of BIBD YES! 2021.

BIBD YES! will be conducted on 11, 18 and 27 December, anticipating up to 1,000 virtual participants as private registrations with more scholarships allocations open to the public for applications.

For more information, members of the public can visit BIBDyes.com.

 

November 30, 2021