Saad Abid, a globally recognized Moroccan environmentalist and speaker, was honored by the prestigious « Social Impact Award » during the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF).
This award celebrates Saad Abid’s remarkable contributions in the areas of environmental advocacy, youth involvement and social innovation in the field of environmental protection.
The festival, organized on November 22 and 24 at Entrepreneurship Village in Akure, Nigeriabrought together over 20 million virtual viewers, 5,000 on-site participants and numerous international dignitaries, including the President of Nigeria HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governors and renowned opinion leaders. This award highlights Saad Abid’s dedication for more than 14 years to generating concrete impact among young people.
This distinction joins another major recognition received earlier this year in The Hague, Netherlands, during the OceanLove Innovation Awardswhere his innovative project « Error » has been praised for its contribution to marine conservation.
Through his Bahri association, Saad Abid has led innovative initiatives such as beach cleaning, waste collection and recycling programs for ragpickers, and educational projects for young people, reaching thousands of people and setting a benchmark in terms of global environmental protection.
Accepting the Social Impact Award, Saad Abid said:
“This honor is not only mine; it belongs to everyone who believes in the power of engagement and positive change. This second international recognition in 2024 fuels my determination to continue to break barriers, inspire action and work for a sustainable future in Morocco and Africa. »
About Saad Abid
Saad Abid has distinguished himself for decades with remarkable achievements as an agent of change. A former Moroccan surfing champion, he transformed his passion for adrenaline into high-impact environmental and social projects. He represented Morocco on prestigious international platforms such as COP21 in Paris, the United Nations General Assembly and the conference Our Ocean in Washington.
His efforts within the Bahri association mobilized more than 5,400 volunteers in 2016 for the largest beach clean-up ever in Morocco, inspiring young people around the world to commit to the environment.
Besides his green initiatives, Abid is also recognized for his campaign “Maymkench 2026”during which he met with global icons such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 26 cities in 26 days, to promote Morocco’s candidacy to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With an engaged community on social media, Saad Abid continues to inspire through his stories, pushing boundaries in sports, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. His philosophy of overcoming mental and societal barriers has earned him international recognition, notably the “2021 IVLP Alumni Decade of Social Innovation & Change Award”presented by John Kerry.
About the Global Entrepreneurship Festival
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival is the flagship event of the Global Entrepreneurship Weekdesigned to catalyze the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme, “Beyond Borders: Eradicating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship”highlighted the role of innovation in solving critical global challenges. The festival featured 12 dynamic experiences, including lectures, exhibitions and a global leadership forum.
