Keynote Speakers and presenters

The full speaker line-up is now able to view on Cvent. 

• 

  Tammam Aloudat

  CEO, The New Humanitarian

  Dr Aloudat, a Syrian-Swiss physician, is currently the CEO of The New Humanitarian, the leading humanitarian newsroom reporting from the heart of crises.  With over two decades of experience at the forefront of international humanitarian organisations, he is a leading advocate for decolonising global health and advancing humanitarianism. He started his humanitarian career as a volunteer for the Syrian Red Crescent, and then with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Iraq after the invasion in 2003. Over the last 20 years, he has worked in emergencies ranging from conflicts and forced displacement to disasters and disease outbreaks – from Darfur to the Indian Ocean tsunami to the Haiti earthquake. His most recent role was as President of MSF Netherlands and as a member of MSF’s International Board.

• 

  Hibak Kalfan

  Executive Director, NEAR

  Hibak Kalfan is the Executive Director at NEAR, where she collaborates with local and national actors throughout the Global South to promote equity among humanitarian and development stakeholders, with a focus on supporting local communities. She holds an M.A. in Development Policy and Practice from the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute. Hibak has over 20 years of experience in international development, having worked in the US, Africa, and the Middle East. Her diverse career includes roles in local NGOs, international NGOs, multilateral organisations, and currently, a Global South network. Her expertise spans various sectors, including localisation, humanitarian aid, democracy and governance, media development, advocacy, public relations, strategic development, and coalition building

• 

  Dana Dajani

  Performance poet

  Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian American actress, poet, and humanitarian. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from Columbia College Chicago, and began her professional acting career on the Windy City’s stages. In 2011, Dana moved to Dubai where she quickly gained recognition for her performances on stage and on screen, in Arabic and English.

  Dana’s work as a performer and educator has taken her around the world; from performing at the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, to teaching acting workshops at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts center, and creating a Drama Therapy Program for children with Autism in the UAE. She was honored as theEmirates Woman “Artist of the Year”, and received the “Young Arab Award for Entertainment” in 2016. Dana was also recognized by Stylist Arabia as one of the “50 Influential and Inspirational Women in the UAE”.

  Known for her original poems performed with theatrical flair, Dana has been invited to share her poetry internationally. Part spoken-word, part one-woman show, Dana uses gesture, character, and a simple scarf to transport audiences through various social justice themes presented in verse by her characters.

  As a humanitarian advocate and activist, Dana has worked with numerous INGOs supporting causes like Palestine, clean water access, education for women, youth empowerment, and more. Dana has given inspirational Keynote addresses on topics such as: Dreaming into an Empowered Education, Pathways to Success, Finding your Voice, Women in Conflict, Time Banking, and others. Additionally, Dana is one of the founding members of the Spiral Sessions, a 6-stage accelerator program to enable individuals and organizations to take positive change towards climate action and social welfare.

  Dana currently lives in Doha, Qatar with her husband, Slovakian-Lebanese Motion Graphic artist Rami Kanso. Together, the couple have created a series of poetry films. “Caged Bird” has garnered multiple awards during its film festival tour around the world.

Register now

Back to top

Provisional program out now!

The HLC program is now available to view on Cvent. 

Please note, this program is subject to change. 

Register now

Back to top