NEWS: Abu Dhabi Media Summit 2012 concludes

11 October 2012 - Industry leaders from across the Middle East discussed secrets of innovation and challenges to entrepreneurship on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit 2012.

The Jordanian founder and CEO of Aramex, Fadi Ghandour, talked about the need to support entrepreneurs in the UAE and the key factors it takes to stimulate young people to be motivated enough to start up their own businesses.

“If we are talking about national wellbeing, we are talking about jobs and the power of entrepreneurship to create new wealth,” he said.

He pointed out that there is real motivation in the Arab world, with 26 per cent of Arab youth wanting to start their own businesses, compared to just 4 per cent in the US. However, he said, the education system is failing would-be entrepreneurs and must be improved.

Giving highlights from a special report on the Millennial Generation and Youth in the Middle East, Antonio Campo Dall’Orto, of Viacom International Media Networks, summarised the key characteristics and insights from 10 major US and global research studies conducted between 2009 and 2011.


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ARTICLES: Abu Dhabi Media Summit: what the Big Bird controversy means for children's media

Sesame Workshop CEO says children’s learning should be non-partisan; defends public-private partnership but calls for more federal backing.

Move over, Bill Gates. Who would have thought Big Bird would emerge as the most buzzed-about media figure at this week’s Abu Dhabi Media Summit?

The giant yellow avian icon, star of educational TV showSesame Street, hit the political landscape last week when US Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney ruffled feathers by singling out the show for potential federal funding cuts.

“Big Bird is fine. Being 8’2” tall he’s used to attention but not to this extent,” said Melvin Ming, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop, who spoke to the Abu Dhabi conference via satellite from New York.

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