MEDSPARC 2025 17TH MEDAWOMEN

MEDAWOMEN – Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Society

Within the scope of MEDSPARC 2025, we hosted MEDAWOMEN, organized every year by AFAEMME and bringing together businesswomen’s associations from across the Euro-Mediterranean region, for the first time in Türkiye and in İzmir.

In this special session themed “Sustainability and Resilience in NGOs”, we discussed how women-led NGOs can create a stronger impact through institutional resilience, sustainable funding, good governance, regional networks, and measurable social impact. From women’s entrepreneurship networks to business organizations, from federations to regional platforms, we put the future of the Euro-Mediterranean civil society ecosystem on the table.

Keynote Speakers:

Maria Helena De Felipe Lehtonen – President, AFAEMME
Özden Erten – President, İZİKAD

Moderators:

Betül Sezgin – Vice President, GİFED; Advisory Board Chair, İZİKAD
Elizabeth Trallero – CEO, Congo Plast; Board Member, AFAEMME

Panelists:
Funda Dedeoğlu – President, GÜNMARSİFED
Lina Tsaltampasi – President, Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs (SEGE)
Oya Eroğlu – President, Entrepreneurial Businesswomen Federation (GİFED)
Dr. Reem Al-Baghdadi – President, Jordan Forum for Business & Professional Women (JFBPW)
Rim Siam – President, Economic Business Women Council, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and FEDCOC; Board Member, ICC World Chambers Federation General Council

On this occasion, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our keynote speakers Maria Helena De Felipe Lehtonen and Özden Erten for opening the session with their inspiring speeches; to our moderators Betül Sezgin and Elizabeth Trallero for skilfully guiding the panel; and to all our panelists for their valuable support to MEDAWOMEN and MEDSPARC 2025.