Summit 2023 – Key to strengthening the economy

The 3rd Annual Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit titled Key to Strengthening the Economy, held on November 23-24, 2023. at the Marriott Hotel, in Skopje, was organized by the National Platform for Women’s Entrepreneurship. The following spoke at the official opening of the Summit: Mr. Fatmir Bitici – Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic issues, coordination of economic departments and investments, Mr. Ben Nupnau – Deputy Head of mission and Head of Political and Information section, EU Delegation to North Macedonia, Mr. Kresnik Bektesi – State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Mrs. Valentina Disoska – President of the Association of Business Women and the National Platform for female entrepreneurship, Mrs. Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeska – Executive Director of the Foundation for Management and Industrial Research and Mr. Orce Simov – Vice-President of SSK and President of ICT at the Union of Chambers of Commerce.The awards for the most successful female entrepreneurs in 2023 were also awarded. There were also three panel sessions, namely, Panel 1 – The role of national, regional and local institutions in strengthening women’s entrepreneurship, the speakers were: Mrs. Jovana Trnechevska – Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Mrs. Dusica Perisic – Executive Director of ZELS (Community of Local Self-Government Units), Ms. Danela Arsovska – Mayor of the City of Skopje, Ms. Vesna Ivanovic – Kastared – Head of the Program Office of UN Women, Republic of North Macedonia and Mr. Ljupco Papazov – Mayor of Kočani Municipality. Panel 2 – Empowered women in entrepreneurship through international association, spoke: Ms. Aferdita Kelmendi President of G7 – Chamber of Entrepreneurial Women – Kosovo, Ms. Antonela Hako – President of the Women’s Economic Chamber of Albania, Ms. Vesna Milovanović – Network for rural development Serbia, Ms. Mariam Chikopaidze – President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs AWE Georgia and Ms. Sofia Shmitran – Regional Commissioner for the Balkan States in the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs FCEM, Croatia. Within the framework of the Summit, there were also B2B meetings and the awards from the project for the most successful young leader and civil organization – good practices were awarded. Panel 3 – Sharing of success stories from female entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs talked about the beginnings and development of their businesses. There were also two workshops, on Financial Management and Securing Finance/Investor Relations. After the completion of the rich and exhaustive discussion on all given topics, with Conclusions by the president Valentina Disoska, the two-day Third Summit for Women’s Entrepreneurship ended. NEXT-EM company also actively participated in the event.