New Delhi, India – December 10, 2024 – The Dare to Overcome (DTO) 2024 conference, held on December 9 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, concluded with resounding success, promoting peace and unity through intercultural understanding. The event brought together global leaders, innovators, and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) from leading corporations to celebrate and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and communities.
A key highlight of the conference was the presentation of the King Husein Global Business & Intercultural Peace Awards, which recognized exemplary leaders in three categories: Core Business; Social Investment & Philanthropy; and Advocacy & Public Policy Engagement. The honorees for 2024 were Jyotsna Suri and Lawrence Chong (Core Business), Abha Dalmia and Akhil Gupta (Social Investment & Philanthropy), and Shombi Sharp and Baroness Verma (Advocacy & Public Policy Engagement). These leaders exemplify how businesses can foster interfaith harmony and drive meaningful societal change.
The event also featured the unveiling of the 2024 India REDI Monitor Report by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. This report highlighted the top 10 companies excelling in religious diversity and inclusion practices, underscoring India’s leadership in leveraging its cultural diversity as a strategic business advantage. REDI Monitor Report recognized top-performing companies on the BSE 100 for their exemplary efforts in promoting religious equity, diversity, and inclusion. Companies such as Godrej, Reliance Industries, Britannia, HDFC Life, Larsen & Toubro, Aditya Birla, InterGlobe, Hindalco, Indian Oil, Samvardhana Motherson, and Shree Cement were highlighted for their commitment to fostering faith-friendly workplaces. The report revealed that 98% of BSE 100 companies incorporate mentions or illustrations of religion in their diversity practices, positioning India as a leader in workplace inclusion globally. By comparison, the 2024 US REDI Monitor reports 86% of Fortune 500 companies mention or illustrate religion on their diversity pages, and the 2024 UK REDI Monitor finds that 79% of companies on the FTSE 100 Index do likewise.”
The event featured insightful panels, including ‘Changemakers on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity,’ with speakers like Parmesh Shahani, Dr. Anjlee Agarwal, and Keshav Suri, and ‘Women and Workplace Inclusivity,’ featuring Baroness Verma, Sahira Nair, and Sanjoy K. Roy. Special sessions included a fireside chat on ‘Designing the Future – AI, Ethics & Faith’ with Lawrence Chong and Anirudh Suri, and ‘Paths to the Divine,’ which explored faith, interconnectedness, and diversity, with insights from Haji Syed Salman Chishti and Archbishop Dr. Felix Machado.
A series of cultural performances enriched the day, starting with Maestro Sessions by Raghav Chandra and Ishan Sharma, the soulful melodies of ‘Faqat by Alif’ in the afternoon, and culminating in an electrifying gala performance by the ‘Kutle Khan Project,’ showcasing the vibrant rhythms of Rajasthan. This extraordinary gathering left attendees inspired by the power of intercultural understanding and collective harmony
Brian Grim, Global Chairperson Dare to Overcome, said, “The resounding success of Dare to Overcome 2024 highlights the transformative potential of diversity and inclusion in shaping pathways to peace and innovation. India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage has once again demonstrated its capacity to inspire the world by showcasing how unity in diversity drives societal and corporate progress.”
Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, reflected on the event’s impact, stating, “Dare to Overcome 2024 was a powerful celebration of India’s position as a beacon of unity in diversity. The event showcased how varied backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures converge in India to create innovation and collaboration. By embracing unique ideas and perspectives, we can continue to strengthen the diversity that defines our corporate landscape and drives collective success.”
Syed Shams Jawaid, Producer Dare to Overcome & Vice President, International Events Teamwork Arts, remarked, “Hosting the second annual Dare to Overcome Conference in India has been an incredible journey of celebrating Unity in Diversity. This year’s event reaffirmed the importance of India’s cultural and spiritual richness as a business asset, fostering innovation and collaboration. Bringing together visionary leaders to build a more inclusive and promising future remains at the heart of our mission, and this event has furthered that goal in meaningful ways.”
DTO 2024 also introduced the Human Rights, Business Skills & Peace Secondary School Curriculum, an initiative designed to educate future generations on the intersection of human rights and business skills. This innovative curriculum aims to build inclusive communities by integrating constitutional rights with essential professional capabilities.
The success of Dare to Overcome 2024 reaffirms the importance of unity in diversity as a driving force for societal and corporate growth. It stands as a testament to the potential of collaborative efforts to shape a better, more inclusive world.
Visit DTO Website for highlights and insights from the event.
About Teamwork Arts:
Teamwork Arts is a highly versatile production company, with roots in the performing arts, social action, and the corporate world. For over 30 years, Teamwork Arts has taken India to the world, and brought the world to India, presenting the finest of Indian performers, writers, change makers, and visual artistes in the knowledge and arts space, in India and abroad. Every year, we produce over 33 festivals in 72 cities, and 26 countries, in the fields of performing & visual arts, as well as literature. We produce the world’s largest literary gathering: the annual Jaipur Literature Festival; JLF international now travels to the US, UK, Canada, Australia, the Maldives, and Europe. Even amidst the upheaval and unsettling times of 2020 and through 2021, Teamwork Arts successfully launched the digital series, JLF Brave New World and Words Are Bridges, which were viewed by over 4.8 million people in their first season. Through its digital avatar, the Jaipur Literature Festival reached over 27 million viewers in January 2021. Art Matters empowers artistes across India to collaborate by commissioning them to create new works. The digital series Be Inspired was launched in 2021 – a series that crystal gazes into the future, with conversations on science, technology, innovation, environment, and more. The first on-ground edition of ‘Be Inspired – Festival of Ideas’ was held in April 2023.
More information at: www.teamworkarts.com
For more information, please contact:
Teamwork Arts:
- Apeksha Bajaj
- Public Relations & Corporate Communications
- M: +9654880195 | E: apeksha@teamworkarts.com
- Zimisha Communications:
- Imtiaz Alam
- M: +91 98102 27818 | E: imtiaz@zimisha.com
- Santosh Kumar
- M: +91 9990937676 | E: santosh@zimisha.com