
<p>“I’m a fighter. I’m the kind of person that for better or worse runs towards a problem and tries to solve it even if it’s in a burning house.”</p>



<p>These powerful words come from 31-year-old Somalian-Canadian activist, Ilwad Elman, who spoke at the 6<sup>th</sup> FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit on March 8. The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize nominee spoke about her natural instinct to invoke change.</p>



<p>The daughter of entrepreneur and peace activist Elman Ali Ahmed and social activist Fartuun Adan, Elaman says once the Somalian war broke in the 1990s, her parents had to make the difficult decision to split up. Adan took Elman and her sisters to Canada where they were refugees, and Ahmed stayed in Somalia fighting for peace.</p>



<p>“My father was killed in pursuit of peace,” Elman said. “But his slogan ‘drop the gun, pick up the pen’ can still be seen marked on the streets of Mogadishu 25 years after his death.”</p>



<p>And this has inspired Elman all her life.</p>



<p>At the age of 20, she co-founded Somalia’s first rape crisis center. Since then, she has become a champion for peace and security giving all those impacted by conflict — particularly women and girls — a seat at the table. Through her organization, the Elman Peace Centre in Mogadishu, Elman has created a methodology for community-based peace-building in contexts of ongoing conflict that is now being exported to conflicts across Africa.</p>



<p>“So if you want to change the world, you need to first know and search within yourself with deep humility, zero egos, and profound clarity,” Elman said.</p>



<p>Also proposed this year as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee is Hajer Sharief, a Libyan peace and human rights activist. She co-leads the work of the Together We Build It&nbsp;(TWBI)&nbsp;organization in Libya. In 2011, and at the age of 19, she co-founded TWBI to build peace in Libya and promote human rights. One of UN Women&#8217;s 12 Champions on Women, Peace and Security and Human Rights, she is a member of the Extremely Together young leaders, an initiative by Kofi Annan and the Kofi Annan Foundation, and in 2020, was named by FORBES AFRICA as one Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women along with Elman.</p>



<p><em>– Watch the full video of Ilwad Elman’s talk at the 2021 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit here</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Nobel Prize Nominee On The Live Ways To Change The World" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zir8PV1-SmE?start=187&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>


Ilwad

Changing The World According to Ilwad Elman


<p> Naomi Campbell makes her first appearance at the <em>Forbes Woman Africa</em>   Leading Woman Summit saying that she is passionate about promoting the continent. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<p>In the coastal city in Eastern South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, it is all hands on deck at the International Convention Centre (ICC), in Durban.</p>



<p>There’s a buzz in the air, and it is not the sound of the warm summer waves hitting the coast line, it is the chatter of<em> Forbes Woman Africa</em>’s most anticipated event, the annual Leading Woman Summit.</p>



<p>It takes place on March 8, in celebration of International Women’s Day.</p>



<p>It is expected
to host over 500 people and on the agenda, women are in the forefront.</p>



<p>The headlining
speaker is supermodel, philanthropist and cultural innovator, Naomi Campbell.</p>



<p>She has just traveled in straight from Paris and told media at the ICC that she couldn’t wait to be part of the Summit.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LWS2019KZN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LWS2019KZN</a>: Tune in on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CNBCAfrica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CNBCAfrica</a> DStv 410 for the live broadcast of the Forbes Africa Leading Women Summit or watch it here &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/wDaq0mdIYk">https://t.co/wDaq0mdIYk</a> <a href="https://t.co/y6VWYpe53s">pic.twitter.com/y6VWYpe53s</a></p>&mdash; Forbes Woman Africa (@ForbesWomanAfri) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForbesWomanAfri/status/1103912297674682368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>“This is my second time at a <em>Forbes Woman Summit</em>, but I am especially happy to be here,” she said.</p>



<p>Campbell who is
very passionate about the African continent said that she is all for supporting
Africa.</p>



<p>“Africa means a lot to me, and right now I feel that it is a time where in my industry that this continent is recognized by the fashion industry in having their footprint here,” she said.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Earlier, the mayor Zandile Gumede suggested that <a href="https://twitter.com/NaomiCampbell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NaomiCampbell</a> takes a Sho&#39;t Left &amp; visit the Inanda Heritage Route, just outside Durban. Gumede added that Campbell&#39;s visit to the city would not be complete if she did not visit the route. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LWS2019KZN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LWS2019KZN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DoKZN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DoKZN</a> <a href="https://t.co/9zK1WgcCEp">pic.twitter.com/9zK1WgcCEp</a></p>&mdash; Tourism KZN (@TourismKZN) <a href="https://twitter.com/TourismKZN/status/1103711720051277825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Campbell said
she is particularity interested in the tech, fashion, business, music, culture,
architecture industries.</p>



<p>“[I’m] not
afraid to approach anyone on these subjects in trying to open their minds to
see that they need to recognize that this continent is one of the leading
continents in the world,” she added.</p>



<p>When asked what makes the Summit different, Methil Renuka, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and FORBES AFRICA editor said the event is much bigger this year.</p>



<p>“In terms of scale and magnitude it is big, and also in terms of both the panelists, the speakers of the day, and also the audience. So we have the best people coming, the CEO’s and all the top women from the industry,” she said.</p>



<p>The event, which is hosted in Durban for the first time, also has a lot to offer the coastal city. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/NaomiCampbell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NaomiCampbell</a> at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lws2019kzn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lws2019kzn</a> press briefing with that radiant smile. It&#39;s her second time in Durban she says.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dokzn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dokzn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LWSummit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LWSummit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dbntourism?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dbntourism</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ForbesWomanAfri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ForbesWomanAfri</a> <a href="https://t.co/fe60E3KP0g">pic.twitter.com/fe60E3KP0g</a></p>&mdash; X (@its_karenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/its_karenM/status/1103718421139722240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>MEC for the
Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Sihle
Zikalala said that he welcomes Campbell with open arms and noted her as the
honorary granddaughter of Nelson Mandela.</p>



<p>EThekwini Mayor
Zanele Gumede said “the agenda is clear, this summit is a platform to celebrate
female excellence while we inspire, empower and unite as women.” </p>



<p>Gumede also told
Campbell to visit more tourist attractions around the province.</p>



<p>One notable site would be the Mandela Capture site, where he was captured 56 years ago.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My experience visiting the Mandela capture site where he was captured 56 years ago<a href="https://twitter.com/LWSummit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LWSummit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TourismKZN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TourismKZN</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LWS2019KZN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LWS2019KZN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dokzn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dokzn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ForbesWomanAfri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ForbesWomanAfri</a> <a href="https://t.co/ui2ApHsIn0">pic.twitter.com/ui2ApHsIn0</a></p>&mdash; X (@its_karenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/its_karenM/status/1103617773077520385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Coincidentally, KZN
also happened to be the province where Mandela first cast his vote.</p>



<p>There for it is
only fitting that Campbell, the honorary granddaughter is to speak at the
Summit for the first time hosted in the province.</p>



<p>For many, it is
one of the most anticipated part of the Summit.</p>


Tag: Leading Woman Summit

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Changing The World According to Ilwad Elman

Naomi Campbell: Africa Is One Of The Leading Continents In The World