Credit: eMFP

Preparations are in full swing for the fast-approaching European Microfinance Week 2019, taking place in Luxembourg from 20-22 November at Neumünster Abbey.

European Microfinance Week, organised by the Luxembourg-based European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), is a key event in the microfinance calendar, bringing together some 500 professionals each year. Indeed, last year's event attracted participation from 450 leading global experts, policy-makers and investors from the financial inclusion sector, working in 69 countries.

The three-day event attracts leading experts, opinion-leaders and policy-makers to its plenaries and workshop sessions tackling front line topics. This year's plenaries, taking place on 21 and 22 November, are: "Strengthening resilience to climate change through financial inclusion", featuring the finalists of the European Microfinance Award 2019 (APA of Kenya, ASKI of the Philippines and FDL of Nicaragua); "Protecting the working poor in the 21st century through responsible finance", featuring Craig Churchill, Chief Social Finance Programme at the International Labour Organisation, Guy Stuart, Executive Director at Microfinance Opportunities, and Reema Nanavaty, Secretary General of SEWA (India); "Responsible client choices in finance: whose responsibility is it?", featuring Gerhard Coetzee, Lead from Customer Value at CGAP, Roshaneh Zafar, Founder Kashf Foundation in Pakistan, Timothy N Ogden, Managing Director of the Financial Access Initiative, and Mayada El-Zoghbi, Managing Director of CFI. 

In addition, the event includes more than 25 sessions covering the most relevant issues in the sector today, such as: accelerating responsible digital transformation through impact investing; financing access to education; leveraging data to promote climate resilient agriculture; from social intent to social impact; improving financial health; climate disaster relief for sustainable resilience; financial inclusion in Bangladesh; innovative business models in energy; refugee finance; opportunities for gender inclusion via Fintech; financing cooperatives.

Recently confirmed speakers include Anup Singh (MSC), Gera Voorips (Triple Jump), Jessica Schicks (BIO), Vincent van Dugteren (Oikocredit), Laura Foose (Social Performance Task Force (SPTF)), Timothy N Ogden (Financial Access Initiative), Patricia Richter (ILO) and Lucia Spaggiari (MFR).

Finally, the winner of the €100,000 European Microfinance Award 2019 for "Strengthening resilience to climate change" will be announced during a ceremony at the European Investment Bank on 21 November. All European Microfinance Week participants are invited to attend.

For further information, visit https://registration.european-microfinance-week.eu/website/1033/home/.