Organised on 11 April 2023 during the holy month of Ramadan, the event brought together about 40 participants,including Pascal Grant, CEO of Veolia Near and Middle East; Thierry Dezenclos, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia UAE; as well as some of the leading voices in the field to discuss innovative solutions to reduce food waste and support food security efforts in the UAE.
The debate was moderated by Najia Qazi, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Narrative, and involved three speakers: Marie Therese Laguerre, Africa, Near & Middle East Strategy and Marketing Director at Veolia; William Ward, Regional Director at Green Eco Technologies; and Ceylan Uren, Co-founder of The WasteLab.
The speakers agreed on a lack of education and awareness about the topic, which is essential for our economic growth, social stability and environmental sustainability.
highlighted how innovation plays a vital role in dealing with issues like climate change, food security and food waste.
Our speakers emphasises solutions to address the food waste problem, advocating for composting, reuse, and giving a second life to waste. They also underscored the importance of eco-conscious consumption, particularly during Ramadan when awareness of food waste and excess quantities is increased.