MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. The organizers of the fourth Eurasian Women's Forum to be held in St. Petersburg from September 18 to 20 want as many countries there as possible, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at a meeting of the organizing committee for its preparation.
"The forum has long ago crossed the borders of Eurasia <...>. This time we are expecting guests from all continents. At the moment, delegations from almost a hundred countries and all 89 Russian regions have confirmed their participation. The list of participants is constantly being updated <...> in the direction of increasing the number of those wishing to participate. We will strive to ensure that this year’s forum sets a record in terms of foreign representation," Russia's upper house speaker said.
She noted that the forum has been supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin since the very first year, thus giving it some extra clout. Matviyenko expressed hope that this time the head of state would attend the event in person.
The head of the Federation Council recalled that the central theme of the upcoming forum will be "Women for confidence building and global cooperation." "It is especially, I believe, relevant and in demand taking into account that the majority of countries in the world want a fairer, more equitable world order. The discussion of the main topic will be held within the framework of five thematic platforms. They are dedicated to the mission of women in the formation of a new agenda of peace and trust, preservation of cultural diversity, development of economy, technology and innovation, as well as in addressing environmental issues and achieving social well-being," she said.
According to her, more than a hundred events are planned within the main program of the forum. In particular, in addition to strategic and expert sessions, telethons, business meetings, the most important part of the program will be events with the participation of international associations. These include a meeting of the Women's G20, the APEC International Competition Club and a dialogue of women from Central Asian countries. Furthermore, for the first time within the framework of the Eurasian Women's Forum a business contacts exchange, investment lounge, international telethon "Voice of Women's Business" will be held. As Matviyenko noted, the first BRICS Women's Forum, which will be held within the framework of the Eurasian Women's Forum, is expected to become a big event.
The speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper chamber also said that the final document of the forum will traditionally be sent to the heads of state, governments, parliaments, heads of public and international organizations, the UN and others.