RIYO 2025 CREATIVE CONFERENCE
Date: Saturday 25 October 2025
Time: 12pm – 6pm
Location: Grange Pavilion, Grange Gardens, Cardiff, CF11 7LJ
- Introduction
The RIYO Creative Conference 2025 was organised by RIYO Consultancy, a global creative marketing and communications agency specialising in public relations (PR), ethnic minority representation and inclusion, and strategic communications for mental health and social impact. RIYO Consultancy partners with brands, organisations and individuals to build visibility, trust and authentic engagement, with purpose and cultural authenticity at the core of its work.
The conference was delivered in partnership with the Horn Development Association (HDA), a leading Cardiff-based community organisation dedicated to enriching the lives of residents in Butetown, Grangetown, and the surrounding areas of Cardiff. HDA provides accessible and inclusive services that respond to community needs, regardless of age, background or circumstances.
As the UK’s first Somali-led creative symposium, The RIYO Creative Conference highlighted the critical importance of collaboration between creative media and community sectors in delivering sustainable social impact. It brought together a diverse and accomplished collective of Somali creatives, journalists, health professionals, entrepreneurs, PR and marketing specialists, technologists, and community leaders from across the UK and beyond, demonstrating how multimedia can be harnessed as a powerful tool for social impact across industries.Â
Objectives
- To demonstrate the role of media and storytelling in advancing social change, representation and inclusive community engagement across sectors.
- To showcase Somali-led innovation and creative excellence, highlighting diverse pathways into media and the creative industries.
- To inspire leadership, entrepreneurship, and ambition within the Somali community by amplifying role models and shared learning.
- To facilitate meaningful networking, intergenerational collaboration and knowledge sharing among Somali professionals across media and non-media fields.
- Programme OverviewÂ
The day-long conference delivered a dynamic and carefully curated programme showcasing the role of media, storytelling, and creative practice in driving social impact. The programme featured a combination of keynote addresses, presentations, a panel discussion, interactive learning, and structured networking opportunities.
The conference opened with keynote presentations from Mohamed Mohamud, founder of Somali Sideways, a global storytelling platform, and an African Union Media Fellow, followed by another keynote speech from Dr. Nafisa Darod, a psychiatrist and founder of the mental health education social media platform Psyching OUT!. Both speakers explored how multimedia tools and platforms can shape narratives, improve access to information, and engage communities at scale.
This was followed by a presentation from Mohamed Imam, co-founder of Inspyre UK, which explored how they use creative and culturally relevant storytelling platforms to increase reading engagement and improve literacy outcomes, particularly among young men from ethnic minority communities.Â
The programme also featured an international perspective from Habon Beegsi, a PR professional working with the Oslo City Government and a member of the RIYO Collective network, the leading global network of Somali professionals in PR, marketing and multimedia. Travelling from Oslo to Cardiff, she presented on how strategic PR has been used within her work to strengthen civic engagement and increase community participation among the Somali community in Norway.
The presentation segment concluded with a high-impact session from Urban Rise, a youth-focused organisation dedicated to improving financial literacy, delivered by its founder, Abdirahman Ahmed. The session highlighted how strengthening financial confidence among young people can support economic wellbeing and mental resilience.
A panel discussion followed, bringing together Somali creatives to explore creativity, representation, and community impact. The panel featured Dr. Abdifatah Ali, co-founder of SSCOPE Media; Asma Elmi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Naeem Magazine; Abdulbasid Haji, also known as Baskey, a digital content creator; and Sharmarke Ahmed, co-founder of Inspyre UK. The discussion looked at how Somali creatives are shaping narratives, leveraging media to influence public discourse, and strengthening community identity through their work.
The day concluded with an interactive workshop that enabled attendees to apply key learnings by developing their own PR campaigns for social impact. Participants received practical feedback from PR and journalism professionals, which strengthened their skills, confidence, and ability to apply media strategies in their own professional contexts.
Structured networking sessions were embedded throughout the programme, enabling meaningful connections and collaboration among attendees from media, health, education, technology, entrepreneurship, community sectors and more.Â
- Collaboration and ImpactÂ
The collaboration between RIYO Consultancy and the Horn Development Association (HDA) was pivotal to the event’s success. Their joint commitment to empowerment, inclusion, and innovation exemplified the strength of partnership-driven community development.
Through the conference, both organisations reaffirmed their shared commitment to creating sustainable pathways for ethnically diverse young people and professionals to thrive in leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
The free event at the Grange Pavilion attracted over 70 attendees and reached full capacity through advance registration, with every seat filled on the day. Participants and attendees travelled from across the UK, including Scotland, London, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as internationally from Norway. Hosting the UK’s first Somali-led creative conference in Cardiff highlighted the city’s commitment to diversity, innovation, and inclusive cultural leadership.
- Conclusion
The RIYO Creative Conference 2025 demonstrated the strength of community collaboration and leadership in delivering meaningful and inclusive creative spaces. By centring Somali excellence and facilitating cross-sector dialogue, the conference established a strong foundation for future initiatives that support representation, innovation, and professional development. Feedback from attendees and partners highlighted a clear demand for this work to continue, reinforcing the value of sustained investment in platforms that nurture Somali creativity and leadership in the UK and beyond.
- Acknowledgements
RIYO Consultancy and the Horn Development Association would like to extend their sincere thanks to all speakers, volunteers, attendees, and partners whose contributions made the RIYO Creative Conference 2025 both impactful and inspiring.
Special recognition is given to the conference’s official 2025 networking partners for their support and collaboration:
- Somali Behaviour Analysis Association (SBAA)Â
- Inspyre UK
- Association of Somali Engineers
- Urban Rise
- Somalis in Project Management
- Cloud Genius Training
- SSCOPE Media
- Somali Sideways
- Somalis in Tech