Islamabad, Pakistan – [9 March 2024] – Women Techmakers Islamabad, in collaboration with GDG Islamabad, proudly marked International Women’s Day with a triumphant celebration at Parwaaz 2024, held on March 9th at the prestigious Daftarkhwan Alpha, Old Airport, Islamabad. The event, themed “Parwaaz: Soaring Beyond Boundaries,” was a resounding success, uniting women in technology, fostering innovation, and championing diversity.
Throughout the day-long conference, attendees were treated to a rich tapestry of inspiring keynotes, engaging lightning talks, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking discussions, all meticulously curated to ignite the spark of leadership in female innovators.
The event commenced with heartfelt remarks from Sarwat Rizvi and Ali Naqi Rizvi, Co-Managers of Google Developers Group Islamabad, as they underscored the community’s commitment to inclusivity by highlighting the presence of sign language interpreters from DeafTawk, ensuring accessibility for all attendees.
The event featured women-centric hackathons and insightful discussions on topics like Generative AI. The event exemplified Women Techmakers’ mission to provide visibility, community, and resources for women in technology, fostering an environment of empowerment and collaboration.
The keynote was delivered by Mujeeb Zahur, Managing Director, S&P Global Pakistan. With his wealth of experience and insights, Mujeeb shed light on the evolving landscape of the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of diversity, innovation, and collaboration. His inspiring words resonated deeply with the audience, motivating them to embrace change and pursue their goals with passion and determination. S&P Global Pakistan’s sponsorship of the women focused event aims to amplify women’s voices, invest in their growth and development, and break down barriers to equality.
Next, Yusra Riaz Solangi, Manager of Investments at Accelerate Prosperity Pakistan, brought over 5 years of corporate finance and investment management experience to the table at Parwaaz 2024. Shedding light on the topic of “Women in Financing,” Yusra discussed the challenges and opportunities for women in the financial sector, as well as how Accelerate Prosperity strives for women’s financial inclusion by providing subsidized capital to impactful businesses, to champion sustainable growth and empowerment.
The event also featured captivating lightning talks by thought leaders from diverse backgrounds like Faryal G. Arslan, Director at Musavir.AI, who delved into the convergence of art and technology in Generative AI, captivating the audience with her exploration of the creative possibilities of artificial intelligence. Saleman Hussain, Data Analyst at S&P Global Pakistan, shared his inspiring journey leaving attendees captivated with his tale of resilience and community support. His compelling narrative underscored the importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, inspiring all those present. Lastly, Yumna Majeed, Founder/CEO of Exploration – Cosmos to Classroom, enthralled the audience with her passion for outer space, and the importance of nurturing curiosity and exploration.
In addition to the enlightening talks, Parwaaz 2024 featured hands-on workshops designed to equip attendees with practical skills and knowledge. Flutter and Machine Learning: Adding Intelligence to Apps, conducted by Hammad Ali (CTO at Ambeego), explored the integration of Google’s Flutter framework with ML to enhance the functionality and intelligence of mobile applications. Followed by the Build with GenAI Workshop, guided by Tahreem Rasul (Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Red Buffer), which provided participants with an opportunity to explore the world of Generative AI and unlock its potential in their projects and endeavors.
The event hosted a design thinking session as well, “Soar Above Thinking”, by Erum Fatima Rizvi, Strategic Trainer and Partner at Adroit Consultancy, UK and UAE. She inspired participants to create safe spaces, avoid judgment, and overcome obstacles, fostering inclusivity and personal growth. The “Reframing Your Narrative” workshop, led by Raina Khan Barki, Founder of Zenana Foundation, empowered attendees to combat imposter syndrome and transform their narratives for positive growth. Through insightful guidance, participants learned to reshape their stories and embrace their full potential.
The highlight of the event was the Fireside Chat on “Navigating the Executive Suite Being a Woman,” which provided a platform for prominent women leaders like Nida Salman (Creative Director at Frontmatter) and Anum Akrum, Director- Data Quality Control at S&P Global Pakistan to share their experiences and insights into corporate leadership and inclusivity.
The atmosphere was electric with excitement as participants exchanged ideas, shared stories, and celebrated their collective achievements during the networking brunch. This event provided attendees with ample opportunities to connect, collaborate, and forge meaningful relationships within the community.
Nearing the end of the event, the session that resonated with attendees was the Power of Community Building, led by Quratulain Tariq, Senior Solution Engineer at Ortoo. Through her insightful session, Quratulain highlighted the transformative potential of community engagement in driving positive change and empowerment.
The event concluded with a keynote address by Huzaifa Habib, Google’s Community Manager, followed by a captivating performance by the band Saraab, leaving participants inspired and energized for the journey ahead.
Women Techmakers and GDG Islamabad extend their heartfelt thanks to all participants, speakers, sponsors, and partners for their invaluable contributions to the success of Parwaaz 2024. Special gratitude is extended to our Platinum Sponsor, S&P Global Pakistan, for their support. We are also grateful to our sponsors: Cheezious and Accelerate Prosperity for providing amazing food, Daftarkhwan for serving as our venue sponsor, and partners: Funsol, Sybrid, DeafTawk, Womenintechpk, We Talk Startups, Creative Mornings, Pwic, for their unwavering commitment to our shared mission.
