DEAUVILLE WOMEN'S FORUM - AN OPPORTUNITY WE SHOULDN'T

UNCLAS PARIS 004298 SIPDIS PERSONAL FOR R - U/S KAREN HUGHES FOR G - U/S PAULA DOBRIANSKY FOR E - U/S JOSETTE SHINER FOR M - U/S HENRIETTA FORE Also EUR/PPD; EUR/WE FROM AMBASSADOR STAPLETON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN KDEM PHUM KPAO FR SUBJECT: DEAUVILLE WOMEN'S FORUM - AN OPPORTUNITY WE SHOULDN'T MISS ¶1. Deauville France will host the second annual Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, October 5-7, 2006. The United States was underrepresented at this event last year, and I ask your help to take full advantage of this opportunity this year. ¶2. The Forum (www.womens-forum.com) is a major international colloquium aimed at enhancing women's role in economic and social decision-making worldwide. It is led by a group of high-powered French and European women who aspire to create a "women's Davos" where professional men and women from developed and developing countries gather annually to discuss how women can better contribute to meeting the challenges facing their societies. The Forum provides participants an opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. The inaugural meeting, held in October 2005, was a big success organizationally, in terms of participation, and follow-up. The group has now opened an office in Washington as well. ¶3. This year's event is entitled: The "Women's Forum for the Economy and Society: Building the Future with Women's Vision." The organizers expect 800 participants to attend, including businessmen and women, political leaders, NGO leaders, academics, and cultural figures. Confirmed attendees include Karen Elliot House, Senior Vice-President of Dow Jones & Co, USA; Nancy Barry, President of Women's World Banking; Mary Lou Jepsen, Chief Technology officer at the MIT; Christine Ockrent, French journalist and co-author of "Le Livre Noir de la Condition des Femmes"; Noraini Abdullah, Managing Director, Asian Global Business, Malaysia; Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State in the UK Ministry of Health; Anne-Marie Lizin, SIPDIS President of the Belgian Senate; Belinda Stronach, Member of Parliament, Canada; and Zainah Anwar, Co-founder of Sisters in Islam, Malaysia. There are a number of high-level U.S. and European private sector sponsors. ¶4. This event offers an excellent platform for us to set out our global democracy and development agendas, with the added opportunity to make points on literacy, education, and a range of areas where we need new global partners. Of course, if you were able to participate, it could be in conjunction with a concentrated bilateral program here in France. ¶5. This is worth your time, and I hope we can program one of you. Our POC here is PAO Renee Earle. Best regards. STAPLETON