The Anniversary meeting of IAPBWB registration took place on June 13, 2002 in RadissonSAS – Grand Hotel, Sofia.

During the first year of its existence the International Association of Professional and Business Women in Bulgaria (IAPBWB) established itself as reliable and trustworthy non-profit organization, actively seeking ways and means to attract business and professional women with new philosophy.

The Association members began to build relationships and networking experience with the clear understanding that the road they had chosen will neither be easy, nor will bring them immediate “return on investment”. Step by step, patiently but armed with strong resolve the Association gathered already more than 20 Bulgarian and foreign business and professional women – members of the IAPBWB, who are finding their common language through networking. The IAPBWB may clearly say that business and professional women in Bulgaria do have what to speak about and what to discuss.

What did the International Association of Professional and Business Women in Bulgaria (IAPBWB) deliver to its members in the short period of time it was active in (October 2001-June 2002)?

1. New contacts with professional & business women, networking opportunities;
2. Interesting presentations of products and services – marketing businesses;
3. Lectures including the inspiring meeting with AIMS International President Dr. Daniel Yolleck in April 2002;
4. The International Conference “Women in Business & Technology” co-organized in March 2002 with ARC Fund, The American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria and Greek partners – business & professional women;
5. A small but useful web-page (www.bulgaria2net.com/iapbwb ), which gives initial visibility of the Association on the Internet and servers as part of our VPN.
6. Our first corporate sponsor – RadissonSAS Grand Hotel Sofia.
7. High profile image in Bulgaria and beyond Bulgarian borders.
8. A new atmosphere all members and guests build jointly during our meetings and out of them.

First steps have been made in implementation of 3 projects:

• “The Glass ceiling in Bulgaria”
• “Gender @ Network Resources”
• The real Internet web-site of the IAPBWB

Several other programmes and projects are under development and consideration. They will be disclosed publicly when we consider it appropriate.

Finally, the IAPBWB received its highest acknowledgement with the invitation to be the only Bulgarian professional & business women organization represented at The Global Summit of Women – 2002 (called also The Women’s Davos) in Barcelona, Spain. We are sure that this fact proves once again the viability of our moto - NETWORKING FOR SUCCESS and will bring to the Association and all its members new opportunities for reaching their goals.

Sofia,

June 2002