The fourth Eurasian Women’s Forum

Organised by Russia’s Federation Council and the Interparliamentary
Assembly of CIS member states, the Eurasian Women’s Forum is the largest
international platform where women leaders from all continents gather to discuss
their role in the modern world and coordinate approaches to global issues.
Over 1,500 people from 126 nations are attending the forum this year.
The 2024 EAWF is themed Women for Strengthening Trust and Global Cooperation.
The plenary session of the fourth Eurasian Women’s Forum is held at the Tauride Palace in St Petersburg.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen – I see that
there are also men in this room,
Friends,
I extend my warm greetings to the participants and guests of the fourth
Eurasian Women’s Forum. Welcome to Russia and to St Petersburg.
Your forum is one of the most highly respected international platforms
demonstrating the potential and capabilities of modern women and their truly
colossal role in virtually all spheres of life.
I would like to emphasise that your meetings reflect on the most crucial
aspects of modern development and promote the ideas of unity for sustainable
development and universal security. This is more important now than ever, and this is what millions of people across all continents desire. Humanity is
facing extremely complicated issues, which can only be resolved together and based on respect for each other’s interests.
The previous forums paved the way for many concrete initiatives, including
stronger interaction within the framework of BRICS, APEC and W20. Incidentally,
we have just now discussed these issues with the President of Brazil. I bring
you best regards from Brazil.
I am convinced that women’s commitment
to the ideas of cooperation and peace has brought success and popularity to your
forum. Each time, it brings together greater numbers of participants. This
year, female leaders from 126 countries came to St Petersburg. Additionally,
multimillion online audiences have joined the discussions focusing on a variety
of sensitive topics.
Delegations from all Russian regions
which represent our multi-ethnic nation, our rich culture and centuries-old
traditions are attending this forum as well. Russian women bring to light the soul of Russia, its beauty, appeal, warmth, graciousness, and magnanimity.
The forum provides an opportunity to show the broad international female community that Russia is an open and hospitable country that appreciates dialogue, trust, and friendship, and that
we respect the diversity and uniqueness of other countries and peoples.
The great interest in the Eurasian
Women’s Forum is also grounded in the fact that its agenda transcends the typical
discussion of women’s role in society. The forum brings together accomplished
women who have achieved top results in their professional careers. Your
experience in creative, managerial, intellectual, humanitarian, and educational
activities undoubtedly matters a lot for billions of people worldwide, which fact
made this forum a global platform for developing proposals to address the most
pressing issues.
The forum’s already high standing continues
to rise. Your voice is heard, and governments around the world heed it. Your
recommendations are taken into consideration by major international organisations.
To reiterate, this participation and energetic work are crucial if we want to build a multipolar, just, and genuinely free world. Everyone among us shares these ideas and does everything
possible to shape a new progressive global space.
This forum is devoted to matters of trust and global cooperation. As always, the female eye has captured the most
important matters. Humanity is in need of a robust foundation of trust,
openness, mutual understanding, and contacts across various fields in order to be able to address challenging social issues, to ensure economic prosperity and technological development, and to overcome poverty, inequality, and diseases.
Most importantly, to be able to develop
equal indivisible security principles that every country needs. For many years
now, Russia has been urging the world to unite in order to discuss and to adopt
such principles. I am convinced that you are supportive of our initiatives and will promote them in your respective countries.
Speaking before an audience of female leaders from around the world, I would be remiss not to recognise the immense
contribution that Russian women are making towards achieving our national
development goals. More often than not, they drive the efforts to carry out
projects that are critically important for improving the quality of life and standards of living in our country, supporting families, protecting their
interests, and, more broadly, upholding our traditional values.
I would like to take this
opportunity and thank all women of Russia for their work for the good of society and their incredible energy of creation. I am confident that heads of states that are represented at the forum share my sentiments and can express
gratitude to women from their respective countries, because life has provided
us with compelling evidence that progress, well-being, and harmony which are
mandatory pillars of a truly prosperous world cannot be achieved without women.
Friends,
Russia is traditionally respectful
of women. In this regard, our state policy relies on the National Strategy of Action in the Interests of Women. Several initiatives have been put forward
towards this end, and proper conditions are being created for women to succeed
professionally while remaining guardians of the hearth and lynchpins of large
families with many children.
We know that combining these roles
is a challenge, but our women cope with it and, despite being confronted with rigorous
workloads, they manage to remain beautiful, caring, and charming ladies. They
possess a secret that men are unable to fathom.
Here is what I would like to add to this. Women in Russia work in almost all fields. Female entrepreneurship is making
wide strides. Last year alone, the number of female entrepreneurs grew by almost a third to six million women now running their own businesses in Russia.
In every field of choice, women are
highly responsible operators who strive to discover the truth of the matter
they are dealing with, to think outside the box, and to take every nuance into consideration
when making decisions.
I wish productive work to the participants and guests of the forum. I am convinced that the 4th Eurasian
Women’s Forum will be a success and bring good results, give rise to new ideas
and projects, and boost cooperation and mutual understanding on our planet.
I wish you good health and all the best. I wish you success for the benefit of peace, creation, and progress.
Thank you for your time.
I hope you will have the chance to get to know St Petersburg.
Thank you very much. All the best!
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