May 18-20, 2016 @ Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia Welcomes You!

Global Women Leaders’ Forum 18-20 May

Global Women Leaders’ Forum will bring together female leaders from business, politics, social and cultural fields. At the Forum, participants will find a platform to discuss current trends of women’s empowerment and gender equality and explore ways to support and improve the role of women in business and society.

Leading women politicians, entrepreneurs, national and international civil servants and NGO representatives will seek answers to the most important questions related to encouraging women’s leadership during the three-day forum. The overall goal is to highlight inspiring practices and role models for future generations of female leaders.

Schedule Register now

Our Speakers

Irina Bokova

Irina Bokova

Director-General of UNESCO

Boriana Manolova

Boriana Manolova

CEO of Siemens Bulgaria

H.E. Sheikh Hasina

H.E. Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Yordanka Fandakova

Yordanka Fandakova

Mayor of Sofia

Professor Liu Jinan

Professor Liu Jinan

Honorary President of Communication University of China

Ms Xiaoqiao Zou

Ms Xiaoqiao Zou

Member of the CEDAW Committee

Renee C. Byer

Renee C. Byer

Pulitzer Prize Photojournalist

Gülsün Sağlamer

Gülsün Sağlamer

President of the Community of Mediterranean Universities

Mara Marinaki

Mara Marinaki

EEAS Principal Advisor on Gender / UNSCR 1325 - WPS

Elisabeth Decrey Wamer

Elisabeth Decrey Wamer

President and co-founder of Geneva Call

Temenuzhka Petkova

Temenuzhka Petkova

Minister of Energy of Bulgaria

Rangita de Silva de Alwis

Rangita de Silva de Alwis

Associate Dean of International Affairs, Penn Law

Ivailo Kalfin

Ivailo Kalfin

Deputy PM for Demographic and Social Policies of Bulgaria

Tsvetanka Mintcheva

Tsvetanka Mintcheva

Head of Retail Banking Division of UniCredit Bulbank

Hedva Ser

Hedva Ser

Contemporary Artist, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

Carmen Moreno

Carmen Moreno

ES of the Inter-American Commission of Women of the OAS

Meher Afroze Chumki

Meher Afroze Chumki

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs, PROB

Meglena Kuneva

Meglena Kuneva

Deputy PM and Minister of Education and Science of Bulgaria

Lilyana Pavlova

Lilyana Pavlova

MIN of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria

Maria - Ekaterini Papachristopoulou – Tzitzikosta

Maria - Ekaterini Papachristopoulou – Tzitzikosta

President of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO

Christina Totseva

Christina Totseva

Managing Director, Commetric EOOD

Anna-Marie Vilamovska

Anna-Marie Vilamovska

SEC for Innovation POL and Healthcare POL to the Pres of BG

Iskra Mihaylova

Iskra Mihaylova

Member of the EP of the Republic of Bulgaria

Darina Stoyanova

Darina Stoyanova

CEO of Prestige-96 AD

Saniye Gülser Corat

Saniye Gülser Corat

Director of UNESCO’s Division for Gender Equality

Milena Damyanova

Milena Damyanova

MP Chairperson, Education & Science Commission BG Parliament

Viktoriya Blazheva

Viktoriya Blazheva

Head of Identity and Communications, UniCredit Bulbank

Maria Spyraki

Maria Spyraki

Member of the European Parliament of the Hellenic Republic

Benita Mehra

Benita Mehra

President of Women's Engineering Society

Aminata Touré

Aminata Touré

Former Prime Minister of Senegal

Cigdem Kagitçibaçi

Cigdem Kagitçibaçi

UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

Konstantin Vulkov

Konstantin Vulkov

Darik Radio Program Director

Diana Nikolaeva

Diana Nikolaeva

Transaction Advisory Services Partner at EY Bulgaria

Maria Paola Azzario

Maria Paola Azzario

Pres., Italian Federation of Clubs and Centres for UNESCO

Lidia Shouleva

Lidia Shouleva

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria

Didier Stoessel

Didier Stoessel

CEO of Nova Broadcasting Group

Nevena Miteva

Nevena Miteva

Lieutenant Colonel, Ministry of Defence of Bulgaria

Irena Sokolova

Irena Sokolova

MP Deputy Chair, Culture and Media Committee, BG Parliament

Julieta Serafimova

Julieta Serafimova

General Manager of Grand Hotel Sofia

Martina A. Roth

Martina A. Roth

Senior Director, INTEL Corporation

Suzan Gila Benmayor

Suzan Gila Benmayor

Columnist, Hurriyet Printing and Publishing Company

Dubravka Šimonovic

Dubravka Šimonovic

UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

Esther Murugi Mathenge

Esther Murugi Mathenge

Member of the National Assembly of Kenya

Baroness Beeban Kidron

Baroness Beeban Kidron

Member of the House of Lords, Gender Equality Advocate

Rumyana Trencheva

Rumyana Trencheva

Managing Director for SAP South-East Europe

Yordanka Chobanova

Yordanka Chobanova

Adv European Affairs of the President of the Republic of BG

Alaa Garad

Alaa Garad

Chief Executive, Investors in People UAE

Clarisse Reille

Clarisse Reille

Director-General, DEFI

Desislava Taneva

Desislava Taneva

Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria

Event Schedule

08:00 - 17:00

ARRIVAL IN SOFIA, BULGARIA AND REGISTRATION

17:00 - 17:45

WELCOME DRINKS AT THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY

18:00 - 19:00

OPENING CEREMONY AT THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY WITH REMARKS BY:

 

  • Ms. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General
  • Ms. Tsetska Tsacheva, Chairperson of the National Assembly of Bulgaria 

 

GUEST OF HONOUR AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

  • H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh  

 

ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA:

  • Ms. Asia Mihailova-Cholashka, Secretary of Social Policies, Youth and Sports to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria

 

CLOSING REMARKS:

  • Dr. Boriana Manolova, CEO Siemens Bulgaria, Chairperson of Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria

 

 

PRESENTER HOST:

  • Ms. Viktoria Blajeva, Head of Identity and Communications Department UniCredit Bulbank

19:00 - 19:30

CULTURAL SHOW


19:30 - 20:30

WELCOME COCKTAIL

09:00 - 11:00

WOMEN IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

OPENING SPEECH ON THE CONFERENCE DAY:

  • Ms. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General
  • Ms. Meglena Kuneva, Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies Coordination and Institutional Affairs and Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Dr. Boriana Manolova, CEO Siemens Bulgaria, Chairperson of Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria

 

PANELISTS:

  • Mr. Ivaylo Kalfin, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Ms. Aminata Touré, Former Prime Minister of Senegal, Special Envoy of the President of Senegal
  • Ms. Meher Afroze Chumki, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs, The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
  • Ms. Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Hon. Ms. Esther Murugi Mathenge, E.G.H, Former Kenyan Minister of Gender, Children and Social Development, Member of the National Assembly of Kenya
  • Ms. Temenuzka Petkova, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Мs. Desislava Taneva, Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Ms. Maria Spyraki, Member of the European Parliament of the Hellenic Republic
  • Ms. Iskra Mihaylova, Member of the European Parliament of the Republic of Bulgaria

 

MODERATOR:

  • Ms. Lydia Shuleva, Bulgaria's former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Labour and Social Policy and  Minister of the Economy

11:00 - 11:30

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 13:00

WOMEN AND BUSINESS – CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

  • Baroness Beeban Kidron, OBE, Member of the House of Lords, Gender Equality Advocate

 

RESEARCH TO BE PRESENTED:

  • Ms. Diana Nikolaeva, Transaction Advisory Services Partner at EY Bulgaria

 

PANELISTS:

  • Dr. Yordanka Chobanova, Advisor for European Affairs of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Ms. Gülsün Sağlamer, Professor of Architecture, President of CMU (Community of Mediterranean Universities), Chair of the European Women Rector Association
  • Ms. Maria Ekaterini Papachristopoulou-Tzitzikosta, President, Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO
  • Ms. Darina Stoyanova, CEO Prestige-96 AD
  • Ms. Julieta Serafimova, General Manager of Grand Hotel Sofia, Director of Certified professional training centre “5 star Academy” and acting lecturer at New Bulgarian University

 

MODERATOR:

  • Ms. Tsvetanka Mintcheva, Head of Retail Banking Division and Member of the Management board of UniCredit Bulbank

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH

14:00 - 15:30

EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR FUTURE WOMEN LEADERS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

  • Ms. Rumiana Trencheva, Managing Director for SAP South-East Europe

 

EXHIBITION TO BE PRESENTED:

  • Ms.  Renee C. Byer, Pulitzer Prize Photojournalist, Senior Photojournalist at The Sacramento Bee (USA)

 

PANELISTS:

  • Ms. Rangita de Silva de Alwis, Associate Dean of International Affairs, University of Pennsylvania Law School
  • Professor Cigdem Kagitçibaçi, UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality and Sustainable Development, Koç University
  • Ms. Milena Damyanova, Member of the Bulgarian Parliament, Chairperson of Education and Science Committee 
  • Dr. Alaa Garad, Chief Executive, Investor in People UAE
  • Ms. Vania Kaneva, Executive Director Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria

 

MODERATOR:

  • Ms. Carmen Moreno, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission for Women

15:30 - 16:00

COFFEE BREAK

16:00 - 17:30

TRENDS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION – WHAT ROLE FOR WOMEN AND WOMEN LEADERS?

PANELISTS:

  • Ms. Benita Mehra, President, Women Engineering Society, UK
  • Ms. Maria Paola Azzario, President, Italian Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Centres (FICLU)
  • Dr. Boriana Manolova, CEO Siemens Bulgaria, Chairperson of Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria
  • Ms. Mara Marinaki, EEAS Principal Advisor on Gender / UNSCR 1325 - WPS
  • Ms. Anna-Maria Villamovska, Secretary for Healthcare Policy Innovation and Policy to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Ms. Clarisse Reille, Director-General, DEFI - Comité de Développement et de Promotion de l'Habillement and President, Grandes Écoles au Féminin (GEF)

 

MODERATOR:

  • Dr. Martina A. Roth, Senior Director, Global Strategy and Alliances, Corporate Affairs Group, Intel

20:00 - 22:00

DINNER

09:00 - 10:30

WOMEN, PEACE, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT: WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN PEACE BUILDING

PANELISTS:

  • Ms. Xiaoqiao Zou, Former Director-General of the All-China Women’s Federation, Member of the CEDAW Committee
  • Ms. Elisabeth Decrey Warner, President and Co-Founder of Geneva Call
  • Ms. Carmen Moreno, Executive Secretary, Inter-American Commission for Women
  • Ms. Dubravka Simonovic, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
  • Ms. Hedva Ser, UNESCO Artist for Peace
  • Ms. Nevena Miteva, Lieutenant Colonel, Chief Expert, Bilateral cooperation and Regional Initiatives Department Defence Policy Directorate Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria

 

MODERATOR:

  • Ms. S. Gülser Corat, Director for the Division for Gender Equality, Office of the Director-General, UNESCO

10:30 - 11:00

COFFEE BREAK

11:00 - 12:30

WOMEN, ICTs AND THE MEDIA

 

PANELISTS:

  • Ms.  Renee C. Byer, Pulitzer Prize Photojournalist, Senior Photojournalist at The Sacramento Bee (USA)
  • Professor Liu Jinan, Honorary President of Communication University of China
  • Ms. Kristina Totseva, Managing Director, Commetric Bulgaria
  • Mr. Didier Stoessel, Chief Executive Officer of Nova Broadcasting Group
  • Ms. Gila Benmayor, Columnist, Hurriyet Printing and Publishing Company, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Ms. Irena Sokolova, Member of the Bulgarian Parliament, Deputy-Chairperson of Culture and Media Committee 

 

MODERATOR:

  • Mr. Konstantin Valkov, Darik Radio Program Director

 

12:30 - 13:30

CLOSING SESSION WITH SUMMARY AND COMMITMENTS - ADOPTION OF THE SOFIA DECLARATION

  • Ms. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General
  • Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia
  • Dr. Boriana Manolova, CEO Siemens Bulgaria, Chairperson of Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria

 

  •  Ms. Aminata Touré, Former Prime Minister of Senegal, Special Envoy of the President of Senegal

 

PRESENTER HOST:

  • Mr. Konstantin Valkov, Darik Radio Program Director

13:30 - 14:30

LUNCH

Sponsors

Gold

Venue & Accommodation

The Global Women Leaders’ Forum will take place from 18 to 20th May, 2016 at Grand Hotel Sofia in Sofia, a dynamic city that is always changing and never aging. A selection of the best hotels in Sofia at preferential rates is available for all participants of GWL Forum 2016.

Grand Hotel Sofia

This 5-star, supreme luxury hotel is located in the heart of the city, on the doorstep of the National Theater “Ivan Vazov” and City art gallery. Its unique central location, next to all government institutions and major touristic sights makes it an ideal choice to stay in Sofia. Art-lovers will appreciate the paintings displayed in the hotel gallery and food connoisseurs will enjoy its fine-dining Shades of Red restaurant.

Address:
1, Gurko str., Sofia, Bulgaria
Reception: T: +359 2 811 0811, E: reception@grandhotelsofia.bg
www.grandhotelsofia.bg

To make a reservation at the special GWLF rates, please fill in the booking form HERE and return it not later than 31st April, 2016 to: reservations@grandhotelsofia.bg. For more information you may contact the Reservations department, Grand Hotel Sofia at: +359 2 811 0 800.

Central Park Hotel Sofia

The 4-star Hotel enjoys a prime location in the heart of the capital. Overlooking the Vitosha mountain, just opposite the National Palace of Culture, the hotel is in close proximity to the major administrative, financial and commercial sites. The finest shopping area of Vitosha street, diner & entertainment places and tourist attractions are within walking distance.

Address:
106 Vitosha Blvd., Sofia, Bulgaria
Reception: T: +359 2 805 81 81, E: reception@centralparkhotel.bg
www.centralparkhotel.bg

To make a reservation at the special GWLF rates, please fill in the booking form HERE and return it not later than 31st April, 2016 to: reservations@centralparkhotel.bg. For more information you may contact the Reservations department, Central Park Hotel at: +359 2 805 88 88.

Sightseeing Tours

Participants and accompanying persons are invited to join the Sofia sightseeing tours during the conference, as well as the optional pre/post-conference optional daily tours to Boyana Church and Rila Monastery departing from Sofia.

Registration for tours should be made with the Hotel Reservation Booking Form:
Grand Hotel Sofia / Central Park Hotel Sofia

Learn more

Visa requirements

Bulgaria and the European Union’s Common Visa Policy

Since 1 January 2007 the Republic of Bulgaria has been applying the European Union’s Common Visa Policy, subject to the terms of the Accession Treaty.

According to Article 4 of the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, the provisions of the Schengen acquis specified in Annex ІІ to that Act shall be binding on and applicable in the Republic of Bulgaria from the date of accession (1 January 2007), while the rest shall be applicable from the date of the Council’s decision on Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area.

Bulgaria and the Schengen Area

Joining the Schengen area is a key priority of our country. The Bulgarian government is highly committed to fulfilling one of the key national priorities – Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. A well-functioning coordination between ministries and institutions has been established to this end on political and expert level.

The efforts in the preparation process have been focused on meeting the high Schengen standards and securing reliable external borders.

In order to meet the Schengen criteria Bulgaria undertook all necessary actions in view of harmonizing immediately the national to the European law, updating our international base of treaties, providing the relevant state-of-the-art technical equipment and infrastructure and enhancing the administrative capacity whereby our country uses the best practice of the EU member states.

Currently Bulgaria issues national visas only. Those visas do not give their holders the right to enter the Schengen area.

Visa-free regime for holders of Schengen visas for a stay of up to 90 days

On 25 January 2012 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria adopted a decision according to which by the date of Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, our country will unilaterally apply a visa-free system for holders of valid Schengen visas. They will have the right to enter and reside in the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of no more than three months in any six-month period from the date of the first entry, without needing to have a Bulgarian short-stay visa. The decision entered into force on 31.01.2012.

Council Regulation (EC) № 539/2001 of 15.03.2001

Since the date of its accession to the EU in 2007, Bulgaria has been applying Council Regulation (EC) № 539/2001 of 15.03.2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

More information about the Visa Regime for foreigners with ordinary passports for a short stay (until 90 days) you can obtain HERE.

More information about the Visa Regime for foreigners with diplomatic and service passports you can obtain HERE.

Press accreditation

Please contact Ms. Ralitsa Krasteva at tel. +359 889 808 814 or by e-mail: ralitsa.krasteva@womeninbusiness.bg

Participation fee

The prices are without VAT. Revenue from fees is used for the organization of the Сonference. All additional revenue will be invested in the development programs of the Council, such as the free Leadership Academy for ladies from small and medium businesses, the National Internship Initiative of the Council for young people and other programs.

€500

regular registration fee

Register now!

€300

NGO registration fee

Register now!

Register now