Category: Pakistan

Apply now to become the Next Global Changemakers

• The new Intercultural Innovation Hub of UNAOC and the BMW Group connects people and cultures, empowers grassroots organizations and elevates intercultural innovation.
• Selected projects promoting diversity, integration and social inclusion will work towards achieving sustainable growth.
• Participants will benefit from a financial grant of up to 20,000 USD plus a year of capacity-building workshops, customized support, and membership to the “Intercultural Leaders” global networking platform.
• Deadline for Applications: 2^nd December 2022 at www.interculturalinnovation.org.

MUNICH, Germany and NEW YORK, Nov. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Since 2011, UNAOC and the BMW Group have worked with leaders and organizations from around the globe to tackle intercultural challenges through social innovations. With the new Intercultural Innovation Hub, our mission is to connect people and cultures, empower grassroots organizations, as well as elevate and scale up intercultural innovation. To this end, organizations promoting diversity, integration and social inclusion are invited to become part of the hub and benefit from comprehensive support to expand the social impact of their projects.

Participating and increasing impact
The Intercultural Innovation Hub is focused on supporting projects that promote gender equality, counter violent extremism, hatred, and prejudice, and advocate for art, culture and sports as vectors for social cohesion and diversity, through:

Financial support for sustainable growth: To leverage the social impact of the selected projects, up to ten finalists will receive up to 20,000 USD each to help their initiative scale up sustainably.
One-year capacity-building program: UNAOC and BMW Group with the support of Accenture, will provide the recipients a year-long series of capacity-building workshops and customized support.
Membership to the “Intercultural Leaders” community: Participants will be part of a global network of changemakers working in the fields of social inclusion and diversity.

Apply now and become the next global changemaker
Interested organizations should submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, December 2^nd, 2022, at www.interculturalinnovation.org

If you have any questions, please contact:

Milena Pighi, BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs, Spokesperson CSR
Telephone: +49-89-382-66563, Milena.PA.Pighi@bmw.de

Alessandro Girola, Programming Coordinator, UNAOC
Telephone: +1 (929) 274-6217, alessandrog@unops.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID  8685593

LONDON, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA) for the second time working with Banco Improsa, secures this US$20M facility from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) – AECID (advised by COFIDES).

Commenting on the transaction, Felix Alpizar, General Manager of BANCO IMPROSA, said: “Banco Improsa is very honored to be recognized by AECID and COFIDES for both its track record and programs to finance and support Costa Rican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). With this credit we will continue our contribution to the economic and social development of the country.”

EMGA’s Head of Investment Banking Sajeev Chakkalakal said, “A pleasure again to facilitate Banco Improsa’s continued vision of supporting SMEs within Costa Rica and complete this funding solution with AECID (advised by COFIDES).”

José Luis Curbelo, chairman and CEO of COFIDES, stated that “we are pleased to support AECID in its first impact project with EMGA and IMPROSA in the Central American region. The transaction will be used to finance small and medium enterprises in Costa Rica, which will contribute to the creation and maintenance of quality jobs and reducing inequalities. We look forward to continuing these strategic partnerships, which enhance economic growth in developing countries by strengthening the private sector through sound financial support.”

Carlos Jiménez Aguirre, General Manager of FONPRODE and Head AECID’s Financial Cooperation Department expressed that “the formalization of this transaction reflects Spanish Cooperation’s aims to contribute to expand the financial support for Costa Rican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as MSMEs play a key role in creating and maintaining decent jobs and reducing inequalities. Our intention is to expand this kind of support to other Central American countries in providing access to finance to MSMEs, with a special focus on mainstreaming gender and climate change strategies in private sector activities.”

Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP, based in London, helps emerging market based financial institutions and corporates seeking new debt or equity capital.

Banco Improsa was founded in 1995 and is a niche bank with a specialization in providing financial solutions and services to MSMEs, which account for most of its portfolio. It has an extensive track record in providing support and advisory services to MSMEs. Banco Improsa’s key success factor lies in its commitment to high standards of personalized, agile, and flexible service, which, together with customized financial solutions, have enabled it to achieve a solid position in these segments. Banco Improsa is part of Grupo Financiero Improsa (GFI).

Fund for the Promotion of Development (FONPRODE), managed by Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) with the support of COFIDES (Spanish Development Finance Institution). AECID is the main management body of Spanish Cooperation and is oriented towards the fight against poverty and the promotion of sustainable development. COFIDES provides support management for FONPRODE with reimbursable financing operations that promote social and economic development of partner countries through investments or transfers of economic resources with a reimbursable nature. FONPRODE may finance non-reimbursable and reimbursable debt and equity. Examples of refundable financing offered by FONPRODE are loans to financial service providers aimed at financial inclusion.

COFIDES, a state-owned company engaging in the management of State and third-party as well as its own funds, pursues several aims; internationalization of Spain’s economy, furtherance of economic development and fortification of the solvency of companies affected by COVID-19. In addition to the Spanish State, its shareholders include Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell and Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).

Jeremy Dobson

info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

Bedford, Mass., Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Biotech innovator, Conagen announced the development of its fermentation-derived vitamin K2 – a high-purity all-trans menaquinone-7 (MK-7).  This is the first molecule from a proprietary platform for producing novel, pure, long-chain menaquinone forms of the vitamin. The platform enables low-cost manufacturing and yields high-quality products, making it attractive to health brands.

“Conagen’s MK-7 technology produces a clean profile of the vitamin without other similar molecules, such as ubiquinone,” said Casey Lippmeier, Ph.D., senior vice president of innovation at Conagen. “Our process allows us to make pure forms of any long-chain menaquinone, be it 6, 7, 8, 9, and these can be consumed in various combinations with other vitamins or with each other to make the most effective supplement possible. As the clinical evidence evolves, so can the supplement.”

Vitamin K2 helps to regulate calcium mobility in bones and restricts calcium buildup in blood vessels, leading to stroke and heart disease. MK-7 is the more bioavailable form of K2 on the market; the other major form is MK-4, which both have taken a strong position in the markets for bone and cardiovascular health.

The biological activity of MK-7 is strictly linked to its all-trans configuration, which is naturally found in fermented superfoods such as natto. Cis-analogues are considered biologically inactive. Synthetic versions of MK-7 contain some amount of the cis-isomer form. Low-quality sources containing cis forms affect the efficacy of the vitamin.

Other long-chain forms of vitamin K2, such as MK-8 and MK-9, exist naturally in cheeses. Research on the health benefits of these other K2 forms has only begun to emerge.

Personalized nutrition is popular with consumers looking for technological breakthroughs in functional foods and nutrition. Conagen’s cost-effective fermentation-derived MK-7 provides new opportunities for brands to develop products to meet the demand of the growing aging population.

“We’re demonstrating our capabilities with innovative technologies that expand market choices in nutrition,” said Lippmeier. “Our fermentation and bioconversion platforms have also produced the clean nutrient ergothioneine and the antioxidant taxifolin, further demonstrating the versatility of our platform technologies.”

Conagen’s research into the MK-7 production process was done in part as a 3-year collaboration with the lab of Prof. Anthony Sinskey at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Health brands interested in non-GMO, vegan vitamin K2 MK-4 and MK-7 and special ingredients, such as ErgoActive® L-Ergothioneine® and Taxifolin BC DHQ® for nutrition and food and beverage preservation, respectively, can contact Blue California, a pipeline partner of Conagen. To inquire more about Conagen’s products or partnerships, please visit www.conagen.com.

About Conagen

Conagen is a product-focused, synthetic biology R&D company with large-scale manufacturing service capabilities. Our scientists and engineers use the latest synthetic biology tools to develop high-quality, sustainable, nature-based products by precision fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion. We focus on the bioproduction of high-value ingredients for food, nutrition, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceutical, and renewable materials industries.

Attachments

• Conagen develops high-purity vitamin K2 MK-7 with fermentation platform — promising more MKs.
• Vitamin K food sources

Ana Arakelian, Head of Public Relations and Communications
Conagen
+1.949.750.6812
ana.arakelian@conagen.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8685378

Roseau, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anichi Resort & Spa will be providing a 2% annual return to investors despite being under construction. The management of the much-anticipated five-star luxury resort and spa in Dominica has said that the project is in full swing, and that once construction is completed, annual returns will be based on the resort’s operation.

Following an official update, an estimated 70% of the project is now complete; this includes the flooring as well as an extensive electricity infrastructure. The resort is being built on 12 acres of land, with 128 rooms. I will host world-class amenities, such as a lagoon swimming pool, an infinity pool, restaurants, a business centre and many others. Overlooking a picturesque beach, the resort will tastefully blend its modern architecture with the landscape’s tropical foliage.

Developed by Oriental Developers (Caribbean) Ltd, the resort will form part of the Autograph Collection, a premium international brand developed by renowned hotelier Marriott International. This links the resort to more than 100 luxury lifestyle hotels across 30 countries and territories – all of which have been constructed as part of Autograph Collection Hotels. Furthermore, Anichi Resort will be managed by Highgate, a dominant player in major US gateway cities with a growing footprint in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Anichi Resort & Spa is also one of the premium real estate options approved by the Dominican government’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme. The CBI Index of 2022, published by the PWM Magazine of the Financial Times, recognises it as the “World’s Best Citizenship by Investment Programme”. The minimum investment threshold for Anichi Resort & Spa is $220,000 (USD), an expenditure which also comes with lifetime Dominican citizenship and property ownership.

The resort will bolster the tourism sector and generate extensive employment for locals. The country already occupies a notable position, ranking first among 25 other Caribbean islands – winning due to its lush green jungles, hot springs and striking black-sand beaches. Annually, scores of investors fly to Dominica owing to its large number of government-approved investment projects. The Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica allows these individuals to purchase freehold shares in government-approved properties.

Anichi Resort & Spa provides investors and CBI applicants with a Return on Investment (ROI) as well as a route towards diversifying their portfolios and planning their wealth. 

The Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, praised the CBI Programme, “Thanks to the real-estate investment option of the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” he noted, “the country is catching the attraction of travel-enthusiasts and is now known for [its] luxury tourism offering. Under the Citizenship Programme, investors looking to expand their real estate portfolio have the opportunity to invest in established luxury hotel brands and villas.” 

Dominica’s real estate investment option has long provided premium, luxury projects for investment. A prior example of this is Secret Bay, a real estate property which paid out more than $1 million (USD) in returns to investors. The Residences at Secret Bay also promises great returns, having drawn more than 100 Citizenship by Investment (CBI) owners. The resort has already won a number of awards, and it is anticipated that Anichi Resort & Spa will likewise be counted as one of the jewels in Dominica’s real estate crown.

Anichi Resort promises to be a meaningful asset during this time of global uncertainty. CS Global Partners, a legal consulting firm working in the investment citizenship field, noted that, beyond the resort’s world-class architecture and lush surrounding environment, “[t]he project also brings in interest from investors keen to participate in the development through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Once completed, the resort promises to transform Dominica’s tourism sector while also boosting employment for the local community”.

Concurrently, Dominica is witnessing the construction of several other hotels, including a Hilton hotel, which will also fall under the government-approved real estate investment options of the country’s CBI programme. Many of these properties are being built to be sustainable and climate-resilient, with the continued construction of such resorts and hotels positioning the island as a top destination for eco-luxury resorts.

Dominica’s real estate is thus proving to be a popular option among investors and high net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Bolstering investment is the strength of the country’s CBI programme. The credibility and trustworthiness of Dominica’s programme has been maintained since its launch almost three decades ago, and it has been ranked the world’s best CBI programme for its sixth consecutive year. Alongside alternative citizenship, the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica provides a number of other opportunities to investors. These include:

• The ability to become a global citizen and be part of a global community transcends Dominica’s land borders.
• The ability to hold multiple citizenships.
• A citizenship that is granted for life and can be passed on to future generations.
• An opportunity to provide families and children with a peaceful, stable, safe and welcoming home.
• Access to countless business opportunities, with the option of portfolio diversification.
• Enhanced opportunities for wealth planning and expanding business overseas.
• A stable currency, with Dominica’s currency, the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD), pegged to USD.

These factors, combined with alternative citizenship, present individuals with a rich array of business and personal advantages. As the success and promise of the Anichi Resort & Spa attest, the island along with its CBI programme offers investment with unrivalled returns.

PR Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
001 (767) 266 3919
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com

The Open Letter, Published in Sunday’s New York Times, Calls for the Immediate Expulsion of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world’s preeminent women leaders in business, politics, advocacy and the arts published an open letter in Sunday’s New York Times calling for the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Signatories of the letter include Sec. Hillary Clinton, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Media Leader & Philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate & Education Activist Malala Yousafzai, Economic & Political Leader Christine Lagarde, former First Lady of the United States & Advocate of Girls Education Michelle Obama, former Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former head of UN Climate Change Convention Christiana Figueres DBE, former First Lady of the United States & Education Advocate Laura Bush, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate & Human Rights Activist Nadia Murad and women in leadership positions from 14 countries (and counting).

This global effort—a partnership between Vital Voices, For Freedoms and a coalition of Iranian women leaders—comes amid more than 40 days of worldwide protests launched and led by Iranian women and girls after the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini. The protestors are demanding justice after Amini died on September 16, 2022 while in police custody. Amini was arrested by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly not complying with mandatory hijab laws.

Reports of extreme punishments and harsh crackdowns against protestors by Iranian authorities have flooded international headlines and social media feeds in the weeks since Amini’s death, gaining worldwide attention and scrutiny.

The group of women leaders who signed on to the letter came together in solidarity with Iranian women and girls with a clear call to action: the immediate removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women.

Within the first few days of going live, the letter received more than 21,000 signatures and growing. Additionally, more than 130,000 petitioners have also signed a letter asking for the same outcome on Change.org.

The open letter states: “We condemn the brutal violence of security forces against peaceful protesters … Earlier this year, to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world, Iran began a four–year term on the UN’s 45–member Commission on the Status of Women. This preeminent global body is exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s long–standing, systematic oppression of women should have disqualified them from election to the CSW.”

The letter also laments the Islamic Republic of Iran’s record on women’s rights, citing gender inequality and legalized discrimination against women regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody cases and attire. These restrictions include the mandate that requires women to wear head coverings at the onset of puberty.

The signatories of the letter warn that the violence and loss of life will continue without global intervention at the highest levels, and that the Commission on the Status of Women will lose credibility each day the Islamic Republic of Iran remains a member.

“This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls,” states the letter.

Members of the public are invited to read the full letter here. To join the movement, sign on here.

About Vital Voices Global Partnership
Now celebrating 25 years, Vital Voices Global Partnership has directly invested in more than 20,000 women leaders across 184 countries and territories since its inception in 1997. Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and nations cannot move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, prime ministers, award-winning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders, and breakthrough social entrepreneurs, including Amanda Gorman and Malala Yousafzai. In an effort to advance and expand this work, in 2022 Vital Voices opened the doors to the world’s first global embassy for women, the Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership. It is a first-of-its-kind space that allows for convening, innovation, planning, and action—all in the pursuit of serving women leaders who are taking on the world’s greatest challenges.
www.vitalvoices.org

About For Freedoms
For Freedoms is an artist collective that centers art and creativity as a catalyst for transformative connection and collective liberation.

By wielding the power of art, we aim to deepen and expand our capacity to interrogate what is and imagine what could be.

Together, we seek infinite expansion.
www.forfreedoms.com

Attachments

• Sign the Petition
• The Open Letter

Vital Voices Global Partnership
media@vitalvoices.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8685121