International Women’s Day 2025 | A Special Collaboration with Veolia Near & Middle East

On March 5th, MENA Impact proudly joined forces with Veolia Near & Middle East to co-host a deeply inspiring International Women’s Day Iftar event under this year’s global theme:
“For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

Held during the holy month of Ramadan, the event carried an added sense of reflection and community uniting voices from across the region to reflect, connect, and celebrate women’s leadership in all its forms.

From shaping the agenda to facilitating the discussions, MENA Impact was at the heart of this event. 

Our Founder & CEO, Nadine Zidani, opened the evening with a warm welcome and set the tone for the conversations to come—highlighting the importance of inclusive leadership, collective action, and community-driven change.

Throughout the evening, Nadine guided intimate fireside chats with each guest speaker, bringing out powerful insights and stories from women who are redefining what leadership looks like in the region.

This collaboration reflects MENA Impact’s ongoing mission: to create spaces that are not only educational and inspiring—but also deeply human. Spaces where people gather, listen, and leave empowered to drive change.

Voices That Inspired Us

We were honored to welcome three amazing women who shared their journeys, wisdom, and hopes for a more equitable future:

Inès Cases (UN Women – GCC): Spoke about advancing gender equality through cross-sector partnerships and highlighted the impact of UN Women’s work across the region.

Dinah Louda (President of Veolia Institute): Reflected on over 20 years of leadership within Veolia and the progress—and challenges—of building inclusive workplaces.

Bouchra Baibanou (Engineer & Alpinist): The first Moroccan woman to summit Everest and the Seven Summits, Bouchra moved the room with her testimony of courage, perseverance, and breaking boundaries.

Each speaker brought a unique lens to the theme—whether from global institutions, the corporate world, or the mountains of Nepal. But all carried the same message: empowered women empower communities.

The evening concluded with a shared Iftar—a moment of connection, reflection, and warmth. As it was a chance to build relationships, exchange ideas, and carry the spirit of the event beyond the stage.

About the WEDO Initiative

This event was part of Veolia’s global WEDO initiative, which champions gender diversity, disability inclusion, and social equity across all its regions. 

Every year, during Yes WEDO Week, Veolia celebrates International Women’s Day with events that amplify underrepresented voices and inspire collective action.

We are proud to contribute to this movement and bring a local, MENA-focused perspective to the global stage.

Together, We Lead Change

At MENA Impact, we believe change happens when people come together—when we create platforms for dialogue, visibility, and collaboration. This Iftar was a beautiful reminder of that.

To everyone who joined us—thank you. And to those continuing to drive impact in their communities, know that we’re here to walk beside you.

 Interested in co-creating your next impact-driven event with us? Get in Touch.