Riyada: Business, Tech, and Innovation in MEN...

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Program Director Merissa Khurma Discusses Takeaways from Riyada Year One

Host Alex Farley sits down with Middle East Program Director Merissa Khurma on her reflections from hosting the first year of the Riyada Podcast. Year one featured over 40 interviews with various entrepreneurs, analysts, and officials. In this episode, Khurma discusses her main o ... Show more

. 38min 2sec

Riyada Podcast Closes Out Season 1 at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan

In this 50th episode of the Riyada podcast, host Merissa Khurma records from the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan with Deputy Chief of Mission Rohit Nepal and MEP Chair Ambassador Jim Jeffrey. They discuss the importance of supporting entrepreneurship in Jordan and the MENA region, ... Show more

. 21min 32sec

Palestinian Film Maker and Poet Injects Authenticity and Empowerment into the Industry

This month, the Riyada podcast featured the talented men and women advancing MENA's film scene to better understand how creators in the region fare against the global media industry. To conclude, co-hosts Merissa Khurma and Imad Shawa spoke with film director, writer, and poet Hi ... Show more

. 47min 55sec

USAID's Jordan Mission Director on Youth and Women Entrepreneurship

Co-hosts Merissa Khurma and Imad Shawa spoke with Sherry Carlin, who serves as Mission Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Jordan. MD Carlin discussed USAID's extensive programs targeting youth economic empowerment, breaking down barriers to women's ... Show more

. 26min 37sec

Highlighting Narratives from the Region and by the Region through Film

Ali Jaafar, head of the film division at MBC Studios, produced numerous films, including The Swimmers (2022), King of Thieves (2018), and The Idol (2015). Ali discussed his transition from journalism to production and desire to elevate diverse narratives from the Arab world to re ... Show more

. 35min 42sec