On Saturday, 24 April 2021, Emerge hosted its inaugural Conversation Series at Droombos, Windhoek, themed 'Reimagine Purpose: Thriving in the Next New Normal'. The curated experience featured inspiring conversations and an art exhibition by talented Namibian visual artist Hage Nasheotwala. The event was sponsored by Bank Windhoek, whose mission is to be a connector of positive change, by helping communities reach their full potential.“A creative facility for leadership designed to inspire new thinking, Emerge aims to harness the power of collaboration, build community connection and spark new possibilities in Namibia and the rest of the continent to meet the demands of the novel times in which we find ourselves," said Emerge Founder and Managing Director of Rich Africa Consultancy, Ndapwilapo Selma Shimutwikeni.
The live and virtual event was moderated by the Managing Partner of FranklinCovey Namibia, Natasha Williams-Phatela. It featured a host of speakers including Africa's own Adebola Williams, the Co-Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of RED, the continent's leading one-stop storytelling shop with the largest portfolio of youth-focused media brands that engage millions of youths on the continent. Williams has been profiled by Forbes Magazine and CNN.
The event also featured Rachel Nyaradzo Adams, a leadership and transformation specialist and the Founder of Narachi Leadership who is named one of the 100 Young influential Africans of 2019. Her work merges tools from neuroscience, psychology, and ontology to empower leaders to accelerate the transformation and inclusive development of the continent.
Other speakers were Kavena Hambira, a contemporary artist and filmmaker based in Oakland, California; Tshuutheni Emvula, the Founder of Landifa Bitcoin Trade, Velile Netumbo Nashandi, the Chairperson of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations and Stacey Susa-Pinto, the Chief Executive Officer of Namibia Trade Forum. The speakers reimagined purpose in their respective sectors and highlighted the opportunities that have emerged from the pandemic in technology, tourism, trade and entrepreneurship.
“These extraordinary times, driven by the effects of the pandemic, call for a reimagining of the next new normal. Sustainable transformational change calls for creative leadership, collaboration and community connection which is at the heart of the Emerge vision," said Shimutwikeni, who shared that the main takeaway from the event is that creative leadership has become the currency of the 21st century, which is the ability to develop and realise innovative ideas and solutions through the shared aspiration of improving the world.
“It is time to reimagine purpose across industries, innovate and invest in the creative economy to unlock the full potential of Namibia and the rest of the African continent," said Shimutwikeni.
The event was attended by executives, students, entrepreneurs, diplomats, social entrepreneurs, educators, innovators, founders, content creators, creatives, start-ups, storytellers, Non-Governmental Organisation's representatives, consultants and personal growth seekers.
