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"Global forum for businesswomen in Qatar - May 2010"

Under the Kind Auspices of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned
Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar

Qatar hosts the QIBF events on May 10, 2010

Under the kind auspices of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, and as a new initiative launched by the Qatari Business Women Forum, Qatar will host on May 10-11, 2010 the first Qatar International Businesswomen Forum – the first global economic forum of its kind in the country bringing together elite businesswomen from Qatar and the world to discuss a wide range of economic and investment issues.

The forum will be held on May 10-11, 2010 at Sheraton Hotel-Doha with a wide participation of experts from Arab and foreign countries and eminent speakers of both genders who have a keen interest in economic, financial and social affairs, including government ministers, experts, specialists, representatives of civil society organizations, and women leaders of large enterprises and projects.

The QIBF will be held in Qatar to benefit from the country’s favorable investment climate and the constructive initiatives launched by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, wife of His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, who contributed and is still contributing to the promotion of women’s position and their participation in the economic development process. The forum also reflects the efforts made by the Qatari Business Women Forum to build a solid network of relations between businesswomen in Qatar or with businesswomen networks and economic organizations on the international level, particularly the MENA Businesswomen’s Network.

Within this framework, the QIBF will tackle throughout the two-day conference a number of economic and investment topics highlighting women’s role in the business and investment sectors, as well as the challenges faced by the global economy and women’s contributions to overcoming those challenges. It will also discuss the role played by businesswomen’s organizations and networks and their importance in activating women’s participation to promote economic growth and stability, in addition to women’s success stories with regards to corporate social governance.

The President of the Qatari Business Women Forum, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Anood Bint Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani, confirmed that the “QIBF is of paramount importance at a time when it’s necessary to highlight the role played by women, a role that is vital to help overcome the global financial crisis and its ongoing repercussions”.

Sheikha Al Anood also added: “It is natural for Qatar to host the first QIBF as a tribute to the many achievements made by Qatari women under the supervision and guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned who gives primary importance to empowering women to shoulder their economic, developmental and social responsibilities. Her Highness’s patronage of the forum is best proof of her interest in any initiative that highlights the abilities of women to assume such major responsibilities”.

The announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Qatari Business Women Forum and the election of the board of directors last week, as well as expanding membership to Non Qatari women.

QIBF is organized with partnership with The Interactive Business Network-IBN, a Qatari company specialized in organizing international exhibitions and forums and Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group, which is based in Beirut with regional offices across the MENA region, and has a long experience of more than 30 years in organizing conferences, and general and specialized forums, and Al Hasnaa Magazine.

On her part, Mrs. Aisha Al Fardan, the Vice President of the Qatari Business Women Forum, confirmed the importance of the QIBF considering it an important step to put Qatar in the forefront of countries sponsoring major economic events, especially those related to women’s participation, role and position. She also added: “The forum will have a strong impact by bringing together businesswomen’s networks from around the world and highlighting promising investment opportunities for the benefit of participants and funders. We call upon large Qatari companies to sponsor this conference and participate in its sessions and we ask businesswomen from Qatar and the region to contribute to the success of this important economic event for the benefit of all.”

For his part, Mr. Raed Shehayeb, CEO of IBN, expressed his eagerness to co-organize this forum on women’s issues in a country where women play a major role under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, saying: “We are pleased to invest our company’s expertise to contribute to the forum’s success and provide what’s necessary to achieve its goals with regards to content, participants and sponsors”.

As for the Editor in Chief of Al Hasnaa Magazine, Mrs. Nadine Abou Zaki, she noted the importance of the forum and considered the choice of Qatar as its venue a confirmation of its consistent support in recent years of all initiatives that aim at promoting sustainable development and developing human resources.

Mrs. Abou Zaki also said: “We have the honor to hold this forum in cooperation with the Qatari Business Women Forum under the kind patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned who is well known for her initiatives and achievements relating to women in particular and Qatari society in general, in addition to her many initiatives in other Arab and foreign countries”.

For further information, please contact the following numbers:
Qatar: Tel: 974 4877442-4881525, Fax: 974 4873196
Lebanon: Tel: 961 1 780200 Fax: 961 1 780206;
E-mail: register@iktissad.com, www.iktissad.com