Welcome

It is my great pleasure to welcome participants to the Republic of Kosovo for “Partnership for Change: Empowering Women”. This International Women’s Summit, the first of its kind in the region, provides us the opportunity to band together and celebrate the progress made in our respective countries in promoting women as equal partners and to address jointly the remaining obstacles that challenge this advancement.

I am honored to host this Summit which is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the organizational assistance of the National Democratic Institute (NDI). This event brings together dozens of women from across the region and the globe whose leadership and courage have radically transformed societies across the Balkans and beyond, contributing to security and stability as well as development and reconciliation.

The Summit will assess the current position of women in the region and around the world with the aim of identifying common issues and opportunities to further their empowerment and the enhancement of their rights. The issues tackled during the Summit by the expert guest speakers, experienced panelists and challenging moderators will cover a range of topics including economic empowerment and political participation, as well as women’s role in security, rule of law and justice.

The Summit will also provide a great opportunity for each one of us to explore partnerships between academia and policy-makers, between private enterprises and public offices, between nations and neighbors. Your presence is a tangible demonstration of your commitment to these issues, and I look forward to our discussions as we work to achieve lasting solutions.

Sincerely yours,

Atifete Jahjaga
President
Republic of Kosovo

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