Music Legend Nile Rodgers calls for ‘Youth to the Front’ during live stream from SEWF online global event
SEWF Digital (21-25 Sept 2020)
Music legend Nile Rodgers, co-founder and chairman of We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), is confirmed to speak at SEWF Digital 2020. Since 2008, WAFF has dedicated its efforts to creating programmes that promote cultural diversity while nurturing and mentoring the vision, talents and ideas of young people who are positively changing the world. Nile will speak on 24 September 1910-1950 BST/ 1310-1350 COT/ 1110-1150 PDT and will be joined by Amonge Sinxoto, co-founder of Blackboard Africa and Chmba Ellen Chilemba, founder of Tiwale, in a session entitled ‘Youth to the Front’. Nile’s session will be open access and live streamed on You Tube to allow anyone from across the globe to tune in. The session will focus on how we as a society can nurture young people and inspire them to make positive changes across the world.
Nile commented that “the concept of philanthropy, community work, whatever you want to call it has been with me all of my life, and it began for me in the ‘hood’ in afterschool programs. I was born very poor in a hardcore ghetto. The afterschool programs were a Godsend to me, and I credit them for helping me become who I am. They gave me enrichment, consistency and a sense of right and wrong. My whole life has been swimming upstream. I’m accustomed to the challenges life throws at me, and I am so accustomed to failure. I can live with failure because from all these failures you have successes. I am looking forward to sharing my journey with SEWF and the importance of nurturing and offering a springboard for the next generation.”
The Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) is the leading organisation for the global social enterprise movement. It challenges failed economic models and builds the movement by convening global and regional events, partnering with diverse organisations and influencing policy dialogues. SEWF has held events on every continent and is holding its first virtual event this year.
Partnering with SAP, APSIS and Scottish Government, SEWF Digital focuses this year on four themes; Youth, Climate, Response to COVID-19, and Gender. With 80+ sessions over four days, 4000+ international delegates from 50 countries, and 150+ speakers SEWF Digital is the biggest ever virtual social enterprise conference bringing practitioners and sector leaders from across the world together to connect and collaborate.
SEWF Digital is proud to partner with SAP, a global partner of SEWF, which believes in the power of business to solve social issues and trigger systemic change through innovation.
Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility said: “SAP has spent the past 10 years establishing trust and building capacity for social enterprises, and we are just getting started. We believe SEWF Digital plays a vital role in bringing a world changing ecosystem together. We’re honoured to take part in this experience and help bring incredible innovators, especially our young leaders like Amonge Sinxoto and Chmba Ellen Chilemba, to decision-making tables across the world.”
Scottish Government Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “It is a remarkable achievement and a reflection of the commitment and determination of the Social Enterprise sector that despite the challenges of COVID-19, this event is still going ahead allowing for the celebration of achievements and the sharing of learning from this exceptionally trying time. And of course, to get such a well-known figure as Nile Rodgers to speak shows the reach this event now has.”
“This is an opportunity to reflect on what our role as government is in ensuring that Scotland’s public services and third sector organisations have the tools they need to set the conditions for our communities to flourish.”
“The COVID-19 crisis has shown us that the social enterprise and third sector are essential to the social and economic wellbeing of a country and I want to ensure that the spirit of collaboration we have seen is nurtured and taken further. As a Scottish Government we will continue to support and engage the sector both at home and abroad as we recover from this pandemic.”
SEWF Digital is running virtually from 21-25 of September 2020 with content available to access online for registered participants until September 2021.
Watch live via our channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBpPYUeW35-r4WK3uHn3ecw
Direct link: https://youtu.be/z6wXrWAYBaQ
For information about Nile Rodgers, please contact Fran DeFeo at frandefeopr@gmail.com
For information about the Social Enterprise World Forum, please contact enquiries@sewfonline.com and Jessgildener@outlook.com
About SEWF
Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) is the leading organisation for the global social enterprise movement. We challenge failed economic models and build the movement by convening global and regional events, partnering with diverse organisations, and influencing policy dialogues.
SEWF has held events on every continent and we’re holding our first global, virtual event this year. Social enterprises and their needs sit at the heart of our events, which are designed to build capacity, provide tangible skills, promote knowledge exchange, and foster critical social capital through networking and personal contact. This unique focus enables social enterprises to address complex social and environmental challenges, often in the most marginalised communities.
SEWF was established in 2008 by a group of the world’s leading social enterprise agencies and networks. They still guide the organisation today, ensuring we reflect the priorities of tens of thousands of social enterprises around the world.
For further information, visit www.sewfonline.com
