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The American Cultural Centre, in partnership with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre at the American University in Cairo, celebrated the closing of the Global Entrepreneurship Week at the American University in Cairo, after a successful week of workshops and panel discussions presented to thousands of participants online and in person in Cairo, Alexandria, and Mansoura on the US and Egyptian entrepreneurial ecosystems, youth empowerment, investment readiness, and women entrepreneurship opportunities, from November 13 to 19.

During the closing ceremony, 16 teams participated in a “hackathon” competition to pitch their ideas for sustainable, innovative business solutions to environmental and social challenges. The first winner team, Qatfa, won the Environmental Innovation Award for its innovative solutions in the field of food preservation and waste reduction to create natural coatings for fruits and vegetables for a more sustainable future.

In his closing speech, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Rubin Harutunian said: “Our US commitment to Egypt’s next generation of change makers runs very deep. Since 1978, the US government has contributed over $30 billion to Egypt’s development, which is one of the most substantial assistance commitments to any country in the world.”

Harutunian also addressed the current events happening in Gaza, saying “It is humbling to be here during a time when Palestinian civilians are suffering in Gaza. We are committed to working with leaders in Egypt and throughout the region to protect innocent civilians and to increase the continuous flow of urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza.  We are grateful to Egypt for its leadership role during this crisis.”

Source: Egyptian Gazette