Donianna founder and chief executive was one of 250 foreign entrepreneurs to attend U.S. Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship
TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, April 29 – Donika Mici, the owner and chief executive of shoe manufacturer Donianna, was one of many entrepreneurs at the U.S. Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship held on April 26-27 in Washington.
Elsa Balteza of Beba also attended the summit as representatives from Albania.
The summit highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship, job creation and community development bringing together approximately 250 successful entrepreneurs from more than fifty countries to identify ways to advance economic and social entrepreneurship; build networks among stakeholders in entrepreneurship, and provide an opportunity to establish partnerships that advance entrepreneurship.
Mici heads a major shoe manufacturing company more than 10 years and employs hundreds of people. She was recently featured in a New York Times profile.
“It was a great opportunity to attend the summit,” she said in an interview with the Albanian section of the Voice of America. “We had the pleasure to see President Obama and participate in a working breakfast with Secretary Clinton.”
U.S. President Barack Obama hosted the conference of more than 250 entrepreneurs, most of which came from countries that have a sizable Muslim population, in the hope of promoting greater business ties between the United States and the Muslim world.
U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes told reporters entrepreneurship is a “fundamental American value” and can unlock opportunities for people around the world.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced a series of initiatives designed to boost America’s relations with entrepreneurs in countries with large Muslim populations.
Secretary Clinton announced the new programs she says are designed to help entrepreneurs in mostly-Muslim countries and eventually expand worldwide.
The new initiatives are intended to expand the availability of capital so entrepreneurs will have access to credit to enable them to put their ideas to work.
Clinton also announced new partnerships between business schools in the United States and educational institutions worldwide to share knowledge and expand business education.
Another program will link U.S. mentors with aspiring entrepreneurs to provide expertise on issues such as securing financing or writing a business plan.
“Now these initiatives comprise a first wave of programs to promote global entrepreneurship, but they reflect the Obama administration’s commitment to a new approach to development, one based on investment, not aid, on supporting local leadership and ideas rather than imposing our own,” said Clinton.
