Devoted to women of color in business

This just in from our friends at IBM, who sponsored the 2006 Global Summit of Women held this year in Cairo, Egypt. Over 900 women from 88 countries came to this annual event, which was held near the Great Pyramid of Giza. Suzanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt, gave the opening address, and speakers included IBM Vice President of Market Development Marilyn Johnson on "Growing a Business: A Dialogue with Women Enterprise Leaders."

Johnson said that "Companies owned, led and influenced by women are making a significant impact on the world economy, and this Summit has united us in a global sisterhood, providing a forum to network, foster mentoring and develop effective strategies for improving women's economic status around the world."

(pic of Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt)

Wendy Papworth, of IBM UK was a featured panelist, who reminded participants that "The need for technology was clearly demonstrated time-and-time again from the smallest micro-enterprise in Zambia to the SME's with multi-million dollar companies."

The IBM delegation also hosted a luncheon for twenty top women managers from the IBM Cairo Technology Development Centres (TDC), and collaborated with the TDC to host a press conference announcing the implementation of the company's first diversity project in the Middle East, the "Women's Development Community Portal", which is an online resource of information for women in all regions throughout Africa and the Middle East.

Dr. Farkhonda Hassan, Secretary General of the National Council of Women (NCW), and Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Human Development and Local Administration, expressed her gratitude at the press conference. "I am honored that IBM is here with us today, and I'm proud to be associated with a company that is focused on women's issues. The NCW is working to secure the economic empowerment of women in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. Traditional women are smart and they want to work. We are helping to improve their status and standing in the business community by providing the education and tools necessary to achieve their goals, and we are happy to have a company like IBM supporting our efforts."

 The 2007 Summit will be held in Berlin, Germany.