Mila Smart Semeshkina Reflects on the Success of the WE Convention

Mila Smart Semeshkina, Founder of the Women’s Empowerment Council and a keynote speaker at the WE Convention, shares her insights from the event: ‘We aimed for the WE Convention to stand out from other events. Our goal was to create a valuable platform for learning, finding your path, and gaining inspiration—and we succeeded. I look forward to seeing all the participants return next year to share the amazing results they have achieved. I would also be delighted to welcome some of you to the stage. Because we are women, and we can achieve anything!’

Exploring Diverse Perspectives and Empowering Discussions

Over the course of two days, a total of 23 sessions took place on the main stage, addressing a broad spectrum of topics from female leadership to artificial intelligence, and from financial independence to the metaverse. The sessions also explored career advice, personal branding, and style. The WE Convention lineup included members of the MENA region royal families HH Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, HH Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, HH Sayyida Basma Al Said, HH Sheikha Jawaher Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, tennis champion and entrepreneur Maria Sharapova, singer, supermodel and the former first lady of France Carla Bruni, digital entrepreneur Karen Wazen, actress Meryem Uzerli, CEO of Maison Schiaparelli Delphine Bellini, psychologists Louise Lambert and Elina Landman, and high-ranking executives from KraftHeinz, TikTok, Microsoft, Visa, Mastercard, and Duolingo, among others.

Empowering Engagement at the WE Convention: Roundtables, Workshops, and Personalized Coaching

Participants had the opportunity to engage in 12 roundtable discussions, each lasting 50 minutes, with industry leaders. These sessions provided a platform to address pressing business and societal issues. Furthermore, five workshops provided attendees with opportunities to delve deeper into areas of interest, perfect their skills, explore new developmental avenues, and express their creativity. Topics covered ranged from negotiation techniques to social media engagement.

A total of 42 one-on-one coaching sessions were conducted by industry professionals in the Mentoring Zone, powered by the Female Factor, a global community for future female leaders. Participants had the opportunity to elevate their careers by securing a 15-minute meeting with the right mentor. These sessions featured industry leaders from fields such as tech, design, health, neuroscience, and the creative minds behind your favorite brands.

Cultivating Wellness and Support: The Serenity Corner and Partnerships at the WE Convention

Over two days at the WE Convention, the unique ‘Serenity Corner’ by Whispers of Serenity Clinic of Oman provided a wellbeing pit stop, offering a space to pause, recharge, and prepare for new opportunities. In addition to helping over 150 women take a much-needed mental break and reflect on personal matters, the corner also offered positive affirmations to take home, a mental health check-in, and a quiz to assess self-confidence levels impacting their career growth.

The Women’s Empowerment Convention is possible due to the invaluable support of our partners: international educational platform Lectera.com, TikTok, jewelry house EIRINE, KraftHeinz and wardrobe & style consultancy Better Ask Anna.

The post Big Goals, Bold Choices: Women’s Empowerment Takes Center Stage in Dubai appeared first on Magzoid Magazine.

Laura’s contributions to art and literature have been significant through publishers in Paris, England, and Switzerland. Her artistic and educational books have enriched and inspired readers and art enthusiasts alike.

Laura’s work has been exhibited in various cities, including San Francisco, Munich, Zurich, Paris, Basel, and Milan.

In 2022, Laura’s work was selected for the Lunar Codex Project’s Polaris Collection. This contribution will be preserved in a lunar time capsule and left on the moon for future generations.

1) Your work seamlessly combines digital art with literature, creating a unique synergy. How did your journey in both fields influence each other, and what role does storytelling play in your artistic process?

I have always loved reading and discovered my passion for mythology about 10 years ago, which I then began integrating into my work. During a rather dark phase of my life, I developed an interest in poetry and psychology. These areas have enriched my work and helped me deal with my own emotions more effectively. Originally, storytelling wasn’t particularly important to me; I simply wanted to express my emotions and feelings in some form. Eventually, this led to a sort of storytelling developing quite naturally.

2) Having exhibited your art in various cultural hubs globally, from San Francisco to Zurich, how do diverse cultural landscapes influence or inspire your creative process? Are there specific experiences from these international exhibitions that stand out to you?

It feels wonderful to have had the opportunity to exhibit my work in so many different places. I am quite shy and prefer to stay in the background, so I rarely visit exhibitions… even if they are my own. However, I recall one exhibition where I observed an older woman standing in front of one of my paintings for a long time. After a while, she noticed me through the crowd and gave me a long look that made me feel as though she understood everything I felt while painting that piece, possibly because she had felt it herself at some point. Maybe I misinterpreted the whole situation, but that woman gave me the feeling that what I do has value, which was hard for me to comprehend at the time.

3) Your artwork was chosen for the Lunar Codex Project’s Polaris Collection, a remarkable honor. Can you share the emotions and thoughts that went through your mind when you learned about this recognition, and what does it mean for you as an artist?

When I was informed about the selection, I must have read the message about 5 or 6 times because I thought I was reading it wrong, as English is not my first language. I think I’ll only truly believe it once the Polaris Collection has been placed. If this is all true and not just a bad joke from the sponsors and SpaceX, it’s impossible to put into words how infinitely grateful I am for such an honor.

4) Your portraits often feature strong and dynamic female characters. What drives this thematic choice, and how do you hope your depictions contribute to broader conversations about empowerment and representation in the art world?

My early career was marked by sexual assaults and harassment. As someone with a rather quiet personality, I was not taken seriously by my male superiors. My skills, despite my qualifications, played no significant role. Since I eventually began to feel exactly as I was treated, I wanted to express in some way that I also possess strength. The characters I created took on a kind of role-model function for me. It’s difficult to say whether I hope this leads to a discussion in the art world, as I am simply sharing my journey in the search for myself.

5) The intersection of art and technology is ever-evolving. How do you navigate the rapidly changing landscape of digital art tools, and what technological advancements have had the most significant impact on your creative process?

I think the biggest impact for me was the Procreate drawing app that became available for the iPad a few years ago. Until then, there were no good drawing apps for the iPad, and the better ones like Photoshop were not yet available for it. And then, of course, there are well-known artist no-gos like Midjourney, Dall-E, or other AI tools. I’ve tried these apps, but I’m still not sure if and how these tools could support me. Sure, they can make the work easier or take it over completely, but where is the dopamine hit when you don’t achieve anything yourself?

The post Laura H. Rubin on Art, Mythology, and the Lunar Codex appeared first on Magzoid Magazine.

Taking place in Dubai from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 next year, the Women’s Pavilion will host an array of events, programming and meaningful dialogues that will not only enhance knowledge and understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but also invites visitors from around the world to join the making of a new world.

Celebrating the significant contributions of women, the pavilion will demonstrate an important principle: when women thrive, all of humanity thrives. It will highlight important contributions women have made in advancing societies, as well as the challenges women still face, especially as the world navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic and works toward a more sustainable future.

Breaking stereotypes and deconstructing misconceptions on women’s roles, the pavilion will raise awareness by showcasing both female and male contributors to women’s empowerment and gender equality, inspiring visitors of all ages to become change-makers within their own communities and beyond.

Reem Al Hashimy, director general of Expo 2020 Dubai, and Cyrille Vigneron, chief executive of Cartier International, discussed Expo 2020’s role in offering a global platform to empower women and girls and to drive awareness of the Sustainable Development Goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment during a conversation with Becky Anderson, anchor for CNN.

Across the six months of Expo, the Women’s Pavilion will host an array of events, programming and meaningful dialogues that will not only enhance knowledge and understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but also drive tangible, collaborative action that can be shared with the world.

The post Expo 2020 Dubai unveils the Women’s Pavilion in collaboration with Cartier appeared first on Magzoid Magazine.