2 weeks Ago By Qatar Tribune
Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Idris Elba has spoken of the need to innovate through creativity in order to drive change at Qatar Foundation’s Earthna Summit – and highlighted the importance of engaging young people where they are, through platforms like his new application the Akuna Wallet, which will empower African creatives. Speaking on Earth Day, at the opening ceremony of the two-day event — titled ‘Building Our Legacy: Sustainability, Innovation and Traditional Knowledge’ — Elba illustrated how vital it is to inspire young people by reflecting on how his own passion for acting was ignited at the age of 14, when a well-known British actor visited his school. “It was then, for the first time, we realized that acting was a job,” he explained.
“And from that time on, my own career has been built on finding ways to replicate that moment of encouragement and inspiration.” This mission manifests in Elba’s philanthropic work, which he directs through the establishment of the Elba Hope Foundation. “I’m allowed to come here because of what I do for a living,” he said.
“But the seed of being able to inspire others is completely embedded in me. So now I am very focused on doing as much as I can when it comes to youth engagement, to pass on that inspiration – to have that moment where they’re like, ‘this man, from this show, is a human being, and is helping me right now’.” Elba, who is an actor, filmmaker, philanthropist, musician, and founder of IE7 / The Akuna Group, explained that the medium of film—through voiceover, music, and imagery—has the power to move people and sustain engagement.
Historically, film and television have been used to propagate both “good and bad things,” he said, which is why he believes the idea of “conscious creativity” is essential to sustaining the cycle of learning – acknowledging that everything we know today has been shaped by the teachings of our forefathers. Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, also spoke at the Summit’s opening ceremony. The event, held in Doha, has brought together local and global leaders, experts, policymakers, and youth from more than 100 countries.
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