In the presence of the Minister of Oil and Environment and with the participation of more than 100 students BisB Concludes "Sustainability Hackathon" Initiative powered by INJAZ Bahrain

13-October-2024

In the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, and His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Ibrahim Al- Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse, Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Environment and INJAZ Bahrain, organized the closing ceremony of "BisB Sustainability Hackathon" initiative. The ceremony was attended by several officials, heads, and representatives of national and private companies.

This initiative, held from October 9 to 13 at the Hope Fund headquarters in the Seef area, with the participation of more than 100 students from 10 leading local universities, aimed to empower participating university students to develop innovative solutions to current sustainability challenges in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

On this occasion, Minister of Oil and Environment expressed pride and honor in supporting this distinguished initiative, which underscores BisB's commitment to contributing to national environmental goals such as achieving carbon neutrality and enhancing sustainability, making it a cornerstone of its strategies. He noted that such ambitious initiatives emerge within the framework of public-private sector partnerships and encourage youth to contribute to finding creative and innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

Ms. Fatema Al Alawi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), stated:” The hackathon initiative reaffirms BisB's steadfast commitment to sustainability and innovation, achieving national sustainable development goals, and paving the way for a greener and fairer future for the environment. This is what we aspire to by creating a platform that allows future leaders to unleash their creativity and collaboration, and to innovate successful solutions to address the most pressing environmental issues. This stems from our recognition of the immense and promising potential of our youth and our belief in their ability to make a significant impact.”

Ms. Hana Sarwani, Executive Director - INJAZ Bahrain, expressed her eagerness to see the outcomes of the hackathon, which reflects the pivotal role youth play as partners in developing innovative solutions and creating a more sustainable future. The students and talents in this hackathon have proven themselves as change-makers and leaders of tomorrow by creatively and competently addressing real-world challenges. She expressed immense pride and honor in supporting this initiative, which aligns with INJAZ Bahrain's vision of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation among youth, in line with the organization's mission to inspire the next generation and prepare them to be partners in development.

The hackathon concluded with the announcement of the winning teams in recognition of their innovative solutions, which focused on environmental impact, carbon emissions, sustainable finance, green investment, transparency, governance, and technology-based sustainability solutions. These included practical applications that can be implemented and developed to enhance sustainability and community development.

The "Sustainability Hackathon" program is part of BisB's ongoing commitment to harnessing innovation and social impact to create a culture based on environmental responsibility and contribute to achieving national sustainability goals. The bank continues to take determined and steady steps to present similar initiatives that focus on engaging youth, encouraging creative problem-solving, and emphasizing the adoption of responsible practices at the local level.