"Al-Noor" Initiative Concludes "Women of the Future" Program, Qualifying 35 Participants for Leadership and Decision-Making

The “Al-Nawar” initiative celebrated on Sunday the graduation of 35 participants from the “Women of the Future” program, which aimed to develop women’s leadership capabilities, enhance their presence in decision-making, and promote their active participation in work environments and society.

The program’s closing ceremony was held under the patronage of the Al-Nawar Initiative and its board chairperson, Sheikha Entesar Salem Al-Ali, marking the culmination of four months of training funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kuwait and implemented in strategic partnership with the European Union and the Commercial Bank of Kuwait.

In her speech at the ceremony, Sheikha Entesar Al-Salem stated that true leadership does not begin with a title, but with a woman’s decision to know herself, confront her fears, believe in her worth and capabilities, and demonstrate courage in expressing her opinions. She emphasized that strengthening women’s inner strength positively impacts their families, professional circles, and communities, affirming that the participants possess what it takes to lead. She added that authentic and courageous leadership emerging from within contributes to transforming their lives and shaping the future.

For his part, the Dutch Ambassador to Kuwait, Wierich Ramsok, stressed in a similar speech the importance of joint efforts to advance women’s empowerment, noting that progress in this field does not happen automatically. He added that creating change requires a shared vision, building partnerships, and collective action to support initiatives aimed at empowering women.

In her address, the European Union Ambassador to Kuwait, Anne Goossens, congratulated the participants on completing the program, highlighting the importance of initiatives that enable women to develop their skills and assume leadership roles. She praised Al-Nawar’s role in forging partnerships that open new horizons for women and urged the graduates to maintain the professional networks they established during the program.

On her part, program participant Dana Al-Dhafiri told KUNA that the program allowed her to step outside her usual engineering work environment, connect with participants from various sectors, and learn about their professional backgrounds. She noted that the experience enhanced her communication and relationship-building skills, both professional and social, and provided her with expertise beyond her daily job responsibilities.

Similarly, participant Aliya Al-Haddad told KUNA that her experience in the program helped develop her leadership skills, boost her self-confidence, and improve her ability to communicate with others, particularly in the workplace. She explained that focusing on these aspects enabled her to foster personal growth.

The program included nine intensive workshops based on positive psychology and leadership sciences, relying on experiential learning and practical application to strengthen leadership presence, enhance decision-making skills, and improve the confident and clear expression of ideas, as well as effective communication within institutional settings. It also featured a dialogue session with leaders from various sectors on the role of women in national development and the creation of institutional environments that support their participation and influence in decision-making.

Evaluations conducted before and after the program showed improvements among participants in self-confidence, leadership readiness, and assertive communication. The program facilitated the exchange of experiences, the building of professional relationships, and the linkage of personal development with institutional and community participation, aligning with Al-Nawar’s mission as a Kuwait-based non-profit initiative dedicated to capacity building and enhancing women’s contributions to development.

The ceremony was attended by the UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, Ghada Taher, the Indian Ambassador Parmeeta Tripathi, the Canadian Ambassador Tara Shoroor, and several senior executives from the Commercial Bank of Kuwait. The event included the awarding of completion certificates to the participants and honors for the partners in recognition of their contributions to supporting the program.