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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS CALL FOR MORE SUPPORT; ISTANBUL, TURKEY (June 7, 2004) -- Delegates to an international business forum on Monday called on governments, corporations, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and foundations to increase their support for women's entrepreneurship. The forum was organized by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), DC-based Project Tsunami, IBM, and Kagider, Kosgeb and the Turkish Ministry of Industry in Turkey. The forum focused on ways of promoting women entrepreneurs around the world. Hundreds of delegates from over 25 countries attended the event, which featured panels on research, finance, international markets, best practices, training and access to corporate and international markets. Virginia Littlejohn, CEO of Project Tsunami, told the closing press conference that the decision to hold the "Accelerating Women's Entrepreneurship Forum" in Istanbul testified to Turkey's vital role as a bridge between the different political and social systems, civic cultures, religious traditions and economies of the West, the Middle East and Asia. Littlejohn said that the gathering in Istanbul "can create a tidal wave of action - a tsunami - for the women entrepreneurs who are creating new businesses, new opportunities, new jobs and economic growth in countries around the world." Much of the discussion focused on the unique challenges facing women entrepreneurs in the developing world. Delegates from Asia, Africa and Latin America spoke of the precarious situation faced by women entrepreneurs in their countries and called for stronger efforts to help them grow their businesses, improve educational opportunities for girls and young women and to fight for economic empowerment globally. Andrina Lever, President of Toronto-based Lever Enterprises and the founder of the Foundation for Canadian Women Entrepreneurs, identified access to capital as a top priority, along with providing increased access to employment benefits and social safety net programs, mentoring programs, business skills training, government procurement contracts, international markets and research. Julie Weeks, Executive Director of the DC-based National Women's Business Council, said that the women's enterprise development has reached an important crossroads: "This Forum has seen an unprecedented gathering of experts, sharing of successes and challenges, best practices and lessons learned. Moving forward, the goal will be to keep the momentum alive." The Forum would not have been possible without the generous support of IBM, Delta Airlines, Rose International, Mercedes-Benz, Ceylan Inter-Continental, VIP Congress, the Direct Selling Education Foundation, Garanti Emeklilik and Canakkale Seramik.
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