The 2005 TIAW International Meeting, hosted by the International Association of Professional and Business Women in Bulgaria (IAPBWB) – 15-18 May 2005

There is one word describing the 2005 TIAW International Meeting, hosted by the International Association of Professional and Business Women in Bulgaria (IAPBWB) and it is SUCCESS!

The three day event in the capital Sofia, and in the towns of Plovdiv, Kazanlak and the developing seashore resort of Sunny beach met remarkable women from around the world with Bulgarian executive women and entrepreneurs , ministers, politicians, businessmen and ordinary people from Bulgaria.

We are proud, because this was the first of its kind and magnitude high level women's international event, organised and carried out in Bulgaria. The Association succeeded and proved its potential.

The one day conference “Women Changing Business and Social Landscape” in Sofia (16 may 2005) was open by Hannah Sorscher – TIAW President and Nina Noeva – IAPBWB President and TIAW Vice - president membership. Nina Noeva who chaired the Conference highlighted important issues both for women and Bulgaria. Top level executive women exchanged views and discussed a wide range of issues in the typical TIAW atmosphere for the first time in East European country.

We would like to express our special thanks to TIAW for the great support we received for the organization of this event, for the support we are constantly receiving in our work for empowerment of women in Bulgaria.

We would like to express our personal gratitude to all TIAW women from all over the world who participate at the Meeting.

Many thanks to H.E. Milko Kovatchev , Minister of the Economy of Bulgaria , Nina Radeva – Chairman of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Commission, Hannah Sorcher – TIAW President, Dianne Morris – President City Women Network (London), Vanessa Erogbogbo - World Bank group(IFC –GEM), Maxine Westaway – TAIW CEO, Stephanie MacKendrick – Canadian Women in Comminications , Sasha Bezuhanova – HP General Manager and BIBA Vice-president, Maria Ilieva - Executive Director HVB Bank, Elica Tzaneva – CEO Ideal Standart – Bulgaria and all other speakers, who shared experience and turned the Conference into a really useful and practical networking event.

The trip to Plovdiv , Kazanlak (including the Tracian King's tomb) Nessebar and Sunny Beach turned into a memorable two day country journey, during which TIAW group enjoyed an atmosphere to remember. We visited places of Bulgarian national heritage – Plovdiv Old Town, The valley of the Tracian kings and had luck enough to match in time the unique Festival of Roses. Meetings with the mayor of Kazanlak, representatives from the local government and businesswomen from Plovdiv and Nessebar arranged in advance gave the opportunity to many to get closer acquainted with the business potential of Bulgaria and its countryside.

We think the 2005 International Meeting in Bulgaria was an excellent show of TIAW's global role in the year of its 25-th Anniversary.

A photo gallery with some pictures from the event to remember: