MicroCapital: What can we expect from EMW2023, happening in-person November 15-17 in Luxembourg and online?
Christoph Pausch: EMW2022, back in-person after two years, showed us that there is no substitute for getting the opinion leaders and decision-makers in the inclusive finance sector together in-person, ensuring they have the time and space to debate, make new connections, and of course give presentations and discuss the various challenges and innovations underway around the world.
After the success of the hybrid EMW2022, which gathered 570 attendees (including over 200 who joined us online) from 48 countries, we are delighted to return to the beautiful Abbaye de Neumunster in Luxembourg for another hybrid event, which will once again offer an exceptional networking and knowledge-sharing experience with the top experts in the financial inclusion sector. And the programme is designed to be as conducive as possible to those joining us online from different time zones. Plus, sessions will be recorded for “catch-up” after.
MC: What choices of sessions can attendees expect?
CP: As always, EMW sessions have been put forward largely by our members – so they address the sector’s current “hot topics” – and we organise them across several thematic streams. We received an enormous response to our call for proposals that went out early in the summer, giving us great scope for a fascinating, diverse program across different streams. In addition to our usual annual topic areas – digitisation, social performance, funding/investment – this year there also will be streams on refugee finance, agri-finance, a particular emphasis on green and climate-smart finance, and “Food Security & Nutrition” – the topic of the European Microfinance Award 2023.
Overall there will be approximately 40 sessions, with a huge range of “breakouts” complementing four plenaries: an opening plenary on green and climate-smart finance, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of e-MFP’s remarkable Green Inclusive and Climate-Smart Finance Action Group (GICSF-AG); on Thursday, a plenary to kick off the Inclusive Finance for Food Security and Nutrition stream (including the launch of e?MFP’s annual Award publication on the topic); on Friday morning, a plenary on a topic of ever-growing relevance, inclusive finance for refugees and displaced persons; and a closing plenary on a topic whose importance is perhaps inadequately understood by many stakeholders – the downstream impact of EU fund regulations. So, it’s going to be a packed programme!
MC: Outside of the conference sessions you’ve mentioned, what else can attendees take advantage of?
CP: A lot. Based on feedback, we’ve added more networking slots in the programme to make it as simple as possible for attendees to connect with each other in one-to-one or small group meetings. Of course, we are also very grateful to our conference sponsors, and in the exhibition area there will be various booths where attendees can learn from the sponsors that interest them.
As in the past, there are also several Action Group meetings taking place, such as those on Investors, Social Impact, WASH and of course the GICSF-AG. The Action Groups work throughout the year, and they are more productive and important now than ever before. EMW is a great opportunity for them to meet, present their work and plan ahead.
Finally, there is – as always – the ceremony to announce the winner of the European Microfinance Award, which will take place on the evening of Thursday the 16th at the European Investment Bank. This is a perennial highlight of EMW, with videos and presentations of the three finalists’ initiatives in advance of HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (who chairs the Award High Jury) announcing the winner, which is profiled widely across the sector and receives the EUR 100,000 prize. (Each of the runners-up receives EUR 10,000.)
MC: Are there any sessions you’re looking forward to personally?
CP: The final touches are being made to the programme, but it’s already clear that it’s going to be the most varied and, in my opinion, fascinating programme yet. Outstanding speakers – top experts in their fields – will feature in sessions on blended finance, resilience, and standards and frameworks across the green/climate stream, which I’m looking forward to. There are also sessions that build on last year’s Award topic – “Financial Inclusion That Works for Women” – focusing on leadership and institutional gender mainstreaming. Some others that have caught my eye are on investing in Africa, insurance and using business diaries as a methodology to research MSMEs. But these are personal choices; there absolutely will be something for everyone who comes to Luxembourg or joins online. We’ll be publishing the draft programme in September as we open registration, and we hope to see as many of our members and friends there as possible!
This feature is part of a sponsored series on European Microfinance Week 2023, which will take place in Luxembourg and online from November 15-17, 2023. Stay tuned for further details and the opening of registration at https://www.e-mfp.eu/european-microfinance-week-2023.
Additional Resources
European Microfinance Award homepage
https://www.european-microfinance-award.com/
MicroCapital coverage of European Microfinance Week since 2012, including the European Microfinance Award
https://www.microcapital.org/category/european-microfinance-week/
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