Global Award presented to Dr. Talal Halarbi in the UK Parliament
Global Stratalogues is delighted to announce Dr. Talal Halarbi and Heather Mills as the recipients of its Global Stratalogues Award to honor and recognize their groundbreaking work and unwavering dedication to advancing accessibility and fostering inclusivity on a global scale. Dr. Talal Halarbi was honored for his pivotal work advancing accessibility in Saudi Arabia.
The awards were presented at the closing dinner of the Global Stratalogues, which concluded three impactful days of discussions in the House of Lords and the House of Commons in the UK Houses of Parliament recently. The discussions focused on exploring the intersection of technology and design to enhance human potential and city infrastructure to improve inclusivity.
Together, these awards highlighted the far-reaching importance of accessibility across sectors and regions. Lord Erroll, who presented the awards, emphasized their global significance: "Dr. Talal Halarbi and Heather Mills are shining examples of how dedicated individuals can bring about meaningful change on a global scale. Their tireless efforts remind us of the power of collective action to break down barriers and create a world where accessibility and inclusion are not aspirations but realities."
Dr. Halarbi is the leading accessibility expert for giga projects in Saudi Arabia. He spearheads strategic initiatives to ensure universal accessibility and seamless access to essential services across the groundbreaking developments. His work is pivotal in shaping the infrastructure for major global events, including the Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s commitment to inclusivity and world-class standards.
Welcoming the award, Dr. Halarbi stated, "I dedicate this award to my country for providing the necessary resources and platforms for individuals like me to thrive. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of many, and I am honored to be part of a community that values accessibility and inclusion. I am especially thankful to our respected leader, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, whose visionary initiatives under Vision 2030 have paved the way for endless possibilities and progress."
“Heather Mills, a renowned advocate and philanthropist, has made an indelible mark on the world through her tireless efforts to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Her journey, shaped by her personal experiences, has inspired a global movement for equality, accessibility, and empowerment. Heather Mills epitomizes the transformative power of leadership and resilience," said Oscar Wendel, Chairman of Global Stratalogues. "Her contributions have set new benchmarks for what is possible in creating a world that values and includes individuals of all abilities."
Heather commented: “I am hugely honored to be recognised by Global Stratalogues and the exceptional work that Oscar Wendel and his team do in driving a more inclusive and sustainable future. It is crucial that we continue to make disability and disabled people visible in a world where far too many people have a story to tell of fighting to belong. I hope this award helps to continue the progress made in accepting, acknowledging, and representing disability in all its forms. Ultimately, everyone has disabilities and abilities; it is who you are as a person that counts more than anything else."
Global Stratalogues is an interdisciplinary platform that drives dialogue, collaboration, and innovation across industries, sectors, and regions. Through high-level roundtables, policymakers, academics, and business leaders collaborate to inspire actionable solutions to pressing global challenges. Heather Mills is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, activist, and world-record-holding athlete.
Her main mission in life has been (and continues to be) creating and supplying healthier, sustainable, plant-based alternative consumer products across the food, nutrition, and cosmetics industries. This is coupled with tireless charity campaigning that embodies her vehement passion for supporting those negatively impacted by war and other forms of oppression or physical debilitation in 'overcoming adversity.' Heather has manifested these goals by creating market-leading plant-based businesses and numerous charities across the globe.
Having suffered the amputation of her left leg following a collision with a motorcycle in 1993, Heather adopted veganism to aid her recovery, which subsequently gave birth to the VBites Food business. VBites is now one of the world's largest manufacturers of meat-free, fish-free, and dairy-free plant-based alternatives, currently servicing 24 countries and growing in both the B2B and B2C consumer segments. Expanding on her plant-based mission, Heather has also created a vegan algal oil business, V-Omega3, vegan makeup business, Be@One, and is investing in numerous other plant-based start-ups as part of her 'VBites Ventures' portfolio.
Despite these successes, Heather is most proud of her work in the charitable sector, which has included the founding and patronage of 'Adopt A Minefield', responsible for clearing 21 million square meters of landmines in war-torn areas worldwide. Heather is also the originator and patron of many amputee clinics around the world, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in the face of atrocities such as the Twin Tower attacks and the Gujarat earthquake in India, and was responsible for driving through the EU ban on dog and cat fur procurement.
Heather has also found time to pursue her passion for ski racing. At 47, she became the only disabled skier to achieve three world records in downhill, skeleton, and ski-jumping disciplines. She also holds four gold medals for downhill and slalom skiing at the Skiing World Championships.
