EU Flag in front of Berlaymont Building. Copyright: European Community 2007

Experience demonstrates that, in the business community, connections and partnerships are the building blocks for success. In order to facilitate these types of links between members of the Ismaili community in Europe, the Euroventures programme – an initiative of the Ismaili Council for the European Union (ICEU) – organised a weekend-long conference in Portugal that brought together leaders in the entrepreneurial and professional domains within and outside the Jamat.

Euroventures Conference Logo. Copyright: Ismaili Council for the European Union

The first Euroventures Conference took place from 26-28 October 2007 at the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon and featured workshops and speeches by prominent individuals in various domains and industries. The keynote speaker for the conference was Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Chairman of Easy Group. Other presenters included senior executives from Google Goldman Sachs, Rothschild, Capgemini, Forbes Magazine, and the Aga Khan Development Network.

In his opening address, Anvaraly Jiva, President of the ICEU, elaborated on the importance of cross-border collaboration within members of the European Jamat, and took the opportunity to welcome many of the distinguished guests that attended the conference, including Prince Rahim Aga Khan, His Excellency Dr. Joao Tiago Silveira, Secretary of State for Justice for Portugal and Nazim Ahmad, AKDN Representative. Also present during the conference dinner and other sessions, respectively, were His Excellency Dr. Bernardo Trindade, Secretary of State for Tourism and His Excellency Dr. Vitalino Canas, Member of Portuguese Assembly of the Republic and AKDN Representative to the Joint AKDN/Government of Portugal Coordination Committee.

Richad Soundardjee, ICEU Convenor for Euroventures Professionals, reported that the Euroventures Conference was "a practical forum where delegates were able to interact and explore areas of common interests with their peers from other regions within the EU, and listen to specialists present their views on current trends and opportunities in various sectors."

Delegates participate in a conference workshop. Arlindo Alves Homem.

The primary objective of the Euroventures Conference was to strengthen economic cohesion between working professionals and entrepreneurs in the European Jamat and to grow their aspirations through partnerships and collaboration. Participants had the opportunity to interact with speakers, guests, and other influential decision-makers in their industries, and also gain valuable information on ways to make their business successes benefit the Jamat.

In his address to the delegates, the keynote speaker, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, emphasised the importance of research and testing, and also learning from other people's experiences as ways of managing risk. He noted, "I don't believe I can tell the future...I believe in taking calculated risks."

Participants in the Euroventures Conference were divided into two groups: entrepreneurs and professionals. While both groups attended the plenary sessions of a more general nature, there were workshops catering to their specific interests. The entrepreneurs, for instance, attended workshops on business and investment opportunities in Europe, while the professionals attended workshops on the medical field, technology and telecommunications, and the corporate sector.

Prince Rahim in conversation with Lewis Pugh, a conference speaker. Tiago Brarens.

Lewis Pugh, lawyer, environmentalist and polar swimmer who addressed the delegates on Sunday morning, emphasised the importance for entrepreneurs and professionals to collaborate with the right people in order to achieve results: "If you band together, you can achieve what people think is impossible."

Overall, the Euroventures Conference and the ICEU Euroventures programme was about acquiring new information and making tangible connections. Hanif Lalani, ICEU Convenor for Euroventures Business, notes that "collaboration, information sharing, joint investment, or simply stimulating discussions are all practical outcomes that we hope were achieved during this important event."