As summer edges into fall each year, it is the time that I start looking forward to reconnecting with industry colleagues and women from the many networks involved in TIAW. Summer is the time for virtual connections as we all juggle our work with finding time for vacations, but fall is when we make plans to get together.
While phone calls and emails are a wonderful way to keep up with friends and colleagues, there is no substitute for meeting in person to make connections, exchange ideas and create the momentum that leads to significant change.
To begin the season at the end of September, Diane Morris, 1st Vice President and President-elect of TIAW and I will be representing TIAW at the WIN conference in Oslo, Norway where we will share, through panel discussions the intelligence that TIAW has gathered on the issue of women on boards and the progress we’re making with our micro and entrepreneur programs, amongst other topics.
There can be no question, though, that the highlight of the year will be the TIAW Global Partnership Forum, being held in Indian Wells, California (greater Palm Springs area), from November 8 to 10.
Led by a powerhouse organizing committee of women from the Women Leader’s Forum in Indian Wells and TIAW’s Executive Director Maxine Westaway, this year’s Global Forum promises to be a dynamic mix of presentations from an accomplished group of leaders and visionaries.
We know that women are the key to building and sustaining civilized societies. We are seeing that happen now in the rebuilding of Rwanda as women take lead roles in government and every other aspect of the effort to recover from the catastrophic events of the 1990s. We have seen through TIAW’s microenterprise program the way that women, with just a small amount of financial backing, can transform the lives of their families and whole communities. We know that women are pivotal to progress at all levels and that is why TIAW supports the economic empowerment of women in all parts of the world, at all levels of development. The TIAW Global Forum is a chance for each delegate to be a citizen of the world and to be one of the women who are leading change.
The Global Forum is also the time when we hold our annual general meeting, as well as a board meeting, and provide the chance to hear from many of our worldwide members in person. It’s also when we have a chance to share our vision of the upcoming year. 2008 promises to be one of TIAW’s most exciting yet and I look forward to reporting to you in future issues about the major initiatives we have underway.
