The Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the world's largest celebration of entrepreneurship, kicked off on 12 November. Organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), and sponsored by Tatweer Misr, the week aims to seek policy-oriented solutions to the challenges of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The week is organised under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Trade Tarek Kabil. Egypt also hosted a cooperation between the US embassy in Cairo, the US consulate general in Alexandria, and the Egyptian Society for Culture and Development (EGCD), a non-profit organization, to support creativity and culture in Egypt through a variety of workshops, talks, and lectures at the American Corner in Maadi and three cities in Upper Egypt, including Qena, Luxor, and Aswan. "In the past five years, hundreds of startups and youth initiatives have been launched all over Egypt—some receiving worldwide recognition. [That's why] the US government is committed to supporting this spirit of innovation, helping entrepreneurs hone the skill they need to be successful," said Charge d' Affaires Thomas Goldberger. Promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing small and medium enterprises have been at the core of Egypt's national policy agenda, a priority that has been primarily reflected in the establishment of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Authority. "Our sponsorship of GEW is in its third year and is part of our broader commitment to support education and entrepreneurship," said Ahmed Shalaby, managing director of Tatweer Misr. Launched for the first time in 2008, GEW organises thousands of events and competitions during one week in November each year, expanding to 170 countries in 2017 and hosting over 35,000 events. The initiative aims to connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors, and investors, boosting startup ecosystems around the world. This year, the event will gather about 10 million people worldwide that will take part in this annual celebration, which is considered the largest participation since its inception. The week covers a wide range of topics in a diverse number of sessions over the period of three days ranging from entrepreneurial education to entrepreneurship in the media, tackling such issues as entrepreneurship in TVET education & programmes and social media influencers, financial inclusion, and the role of women in entrepreneurship in sessions such as "What Works in Promoting Entrepreneurship for Rural Women". In addition, a number of sessions will be held on the role of ICSB, ranging from sessions on the ICSB Academy to various topics including education and the ecosystem.
