Participants Women’s Forum

Assistant Secretary General - Head of Social Affairs Sector, League of Arab States

Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh was appointed as a Special Envoy for the League of Arab States, Secretary-General to the Civil Society, and as a Jordanian Representative to the Arab Women Organization (AWO) and a Member of the Executive Committee. While serving at the AWO, Dr. Abu Ghazaleh was appointed by His Majesty King Abdullah II as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in 2011 and as a Senator to the Jordanian Upper House of Parliament in 2009. Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah II appointed Dr. Abu Ghazaleh as a Secretary-General at the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), which she held from 2007 to 2011. She conducted pioneering work for more than 12 years while being the Regional Director of UN Women (previously known as UNIFEM), Arab States Regional Office

Ambassador of Switzerland to Italy

Amb. Rita Adam joined the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1999. After postings in Geneva, Pretoria and Berne, she was appointed as head of the Legal Affairs and Media Section to the Swiss Embassy in Paris in 2005. In 2008 she returned to Berne and served as head of the Multilateral Peace Policy Section and in 2010 as vice head of the Directorate of International Law and Ambassador to Liechtenstein. From 2014 to 2018 she headed the Swiss Embassy in Tunis. In November 2018 she became Ambassador of Switzerland to Italy, Malta and San Marino.

Policy Specialist, Peace and Security Section, UNWomen

Ms. Mireille Affa’a Mindzie leads the section’s work on mediation and conflict resolution, manages the African Women Leaders Network initiative, and advises on National Action Plans on implementation of UNSC resolution 1325. Prior to joining UN Women, she worked as Research fellow for the International Peace Institute in New York from 2011-2014. Between 2007 and 2011, she worked as Senior project officer for the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR) based in Cape Town, South Africa. She conducted training interventions on human rights and conflict management, conflict early warning and response, and women and peacebuilding. Before joining CCR, Mireille worked as Legal officer for the Gambia-based Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, focusing on training, litigation, and networking and research.

Founding Member, MWMN-Cyprus; Former Chair, European Institute of Gender Equality

Prof. Kalliope Agapiou Josephides is a founding member of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network and MWMN/Cyprus. She is the Director & Holder of a Jean Monnet Chair, University of Cyprus. She has extensive experience in gender equality, women, peace and security, mediation, human rights and democratization. Former Chair of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EU Agency)/Vice-President of the European Inter University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation, Venice. EMA Director UCY/Global Campus on Human Rights and Democratisation. She provided advice/training/teaching/research internationally.

President, Fondation pour l'Égalité, Algeria

Prof. Nadia Ait-Zai est avocate, professeur à la faculté de droit, Présidente de la fondation pour l'égalité. Experte du sous groupe de travail sur les droits économiques et sociaux auprès de la commission Africaine des droits de l'Homme, membre d'un groupe d'expert sur la violence auprès du centre Nord Sud, Conseil de l'Europe. Elle travaille sur les questions féminines et droits de l'enfant et a créé le CIDDEF, centre d'information et de documentation sur les droits de l'enfant et de la femme. Centre qui a travaillé sur les plaidoyers pour le quota en politique. La loi de 2012 prévoyant un quota de 30% a été une réponse à ce travail. Trois autres plaidoyers sont en cours: Egalité successorale, levée des réserves à la Cedaw et fixation d'un âge minimum au mariage des mineurs. L'objectif du centre est la modification des lois discriminatoires dans le code de la famille.

Finance Director, Petroleum Development Oman

Ms. Haifa Al Khaifi was appointed as Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) Finance Director in 2012. Haifa has broad international experience across the oil and gas sector, gained during a 24-year career, which has included senior roles in various sectors. She has worked in Oman, the Netherlands, the UK, and the UAE. Her previous roles include Shell’s Regional Manager for Planning & Reporting (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia), PDO’s Business Finance Manager, Finance Controller, and Finance Manager for Enhanced Oil Recovery projects. In addition to her current role as the Finance Director, Haifa is the PDO Company Secretary and the Secretary to the Oil and Gas Boards. On a pro bono basis, Haifa sits on various Boards as an Independent Director, outside of PDO. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA-UK) and a member of the Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA-UK). She has been certified by institutions including: Harvard, HRH the Prince of Wales’ Business & Sustainability Programme (University of Cambridge UK), INSEAD (France), the World Bank (USA), and BATES (USA). Haifa has been listed as one of the “Most Influential Arab Women” in the ranking by Forbes (Middle East) for five consecutive years.

President, Bahrain International Federation of Business & Professional Women, Bahrain

Sheikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa is one of the Royal family members of the Kingdom of Bahrain.She started working for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs from 1973 - 1976, then she joined Alliance Française from 1976 - 1981. In 1981 She became the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Al Rashid Group B.S.C. In 1993 Shaikha Hend founded the Information Centre for Women and Children and currently is still one of the board members. In the period from 1999 until 2005 Shaikha Hend became the Assistant undersecretary for Social Affairs. From 2000 until 2006 she was a board member of the Supreme Council for Women. Currently Shaikha Hend is the President of the Children and Mother’s Welfare Society since 2006, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Rashid Investment Holding since 2007, the President of Bahrain International Federation Of Business & Professional 2012, a Member of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry since 2014, and Vice President of Council of Arab Business Women in 2018. In 2015 she was chosen as the Ambassador of creativity and entrepreneur’s in Matera – Italy by UNIDO. She got the Arab women of the year in 2017 in London.

Member of Parliament, Shura Council, Qatar

H.E. Reem Al Mansoori is member of the Shura Council and the president of the 29th session of the Women’s Parliamentarians Forum during the 140th IPU Assembly, Ex office member of bureau of women parliamentarian and the Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Society Development Sector at the Ministry of Transport and Communications. As a Parliamentarian, she plays an advocacy role in protecting people’s right to live peacefully, shaping the law, solving economic, administrative and political problems and contributing to achieving international peace and security. She also shouldered the responsibility of preserving human dignity and committed to expressing opinions towards fundamental freedoms and rights, playing a unique role in solving problems and creating value for citizens to live an Well-fare life. Ms. Reem Al Mansoori highlights the role of empowered Qatari women and encourages them to support society advancement. Ms. Al Mansoori has more than 20 years’ experience leading programs that drive Qatar's digital transformation towards a smart future. As Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Society Development Sector at the Ministry of Transport and Communications she heads two major departments, Digital Society and Digital Industry Development. She spearheaded the development and launch of the TASMU Smart Qatar program, which is the digital response to Qatar’s National Vision 2030, focusing on five priority sectors. As head of Digital Society, Ms. Al Mansoori is responsible for inspiring and supporting Qatari society and businesses to gain the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to use ICT electively and safely in order to participate fully in building Qatar’s information-based economy. As head of Digital Industry Development, Ms. Al Mansoori is responsible for engaging with Qatar’s national digital ecosystem and building a vibrant ICT sector to support a smart Qatar through innovation, enabling the ICT sector to leverage local and global digital capabilities, and promoting key investment opportunities with innovation partners across the world to bring the best practices and ideas to Qatar.

Principal Director for the United Nations and Human Rights, Directorate General for Political Affairs and Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Ambassador of Yemen to Italy

Amb. Ashaman Altoqi is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Yemen to the Republic of Italy, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rome based Agencies since 2016. From Jan 2015 to Oct 2016, she was Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Paris. From July to Dec 2014, she was Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Kuala Lumpur. From 2006 to 2010, she was Political Affairs Officer, Mission of the Republic of Yemen to the European Union, Brussels. From 2002 to 2006, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Minister’s Bureau.

Director, Together We Build It Organization; Member, MWMN, Libya

Ms. Rida Altubuly is founder and director of the Together we build it (TWBI), an organization based on a unique intergenerational diversity approach, and aims to empower women and young women. Rida is a member of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network (MWMN). Rida has been chosen by the BBC within its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2019. Grounded in her personal experience of war since 2011, Rida has gained a considerable experience on conflict, mediation, women peace and security agenda (UNSCR 1325) and peace-building. Rida is a gender and peace and security expert. She is interested in gender related issues, gender-based violence, and also focuses on the role of women on preventing violent extremism. She works as independent consultant, trainer, and researcher. She led the initiative of forming a national network called “1325 Network” in Libya. She delivered an oral statement to the human rights Council (HRC) calling on full participation of women in the formal peace in Libya. In 2018, she supported Libyan women participation in the high level meeting held in Palermo as part of the formal peace process. Rida led highly recognized big national campaigns to supported women’s participation in the main three national elections held in Libya in 2012 - 2014. Rida has a strong Academic career and holds a position of Professor of Clinical Pharmacology. She has been appointed as an expert and advisor on international relations within the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, she had been engaged with the development and health system, and she worked with relevant national authorities and INGOs, Prior to 2011, she served as the head of medicine registration department in the Ministry of Health and a member of the high committee of the centre monitoring food and medicines.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Amb. Elisabetta Belloni started her diplomatic career in 1985 serving at the Foreign Ministry’s Directorate General for Political Affairs and then at the UNIDO in Vienna in 1986. From 1989 to 1992, she returned to the Directorate General for Political Affairs to follow the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), and was appointed Deputy Head of the CSM (Confidence and Security Building Measures) Delegation in Vienna and later member of the Italian Delegation at the CSCE Follow-Up Conference in Helsinki. From 1993 to 1996 she was First Secretary of the Diplomatic Mission to International Organizations in Vienna and she then served at the Italian Embassy in Bratislava until 1999. She returned to Rome in 1999 to work at the Russian Office of the Directorate for Political Affairs. In 2000 she was appointed Head of the Secretariat of the Directorate for the Countries of Europe and in 2001-2002 she was designated Head of the Office for the Countries of Central Eastern Europe. From 2002 to 2004 she was appointed Chief of Staff of the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs. In 2004 she became Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Unit.

General Director, Observatoire Méditerranéen de l'Energie (OME)

Dr. Houda Ben Jannet Allal was appointed General Director of the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Energie (OME) in January 2013. Prior to her elevation to General Director, she held several positions at OME, most recent ones being successively Director of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development and Strategy Director. Her fields of expertise mainly relate to energy prospects, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development and energy cooperation in the Mediterranean region. With her experience at OME and her position as Strategy Director, she successfully expanded a unique wide angle on energy development and perspectives in the Mediterranean region. Dr. Ben Jannet Allal heads the Secretariat of the UfM Platform on Gas.

Mediator and Founding member, MWMN; Member, ICAN/WASL, Algeria

Sen. Hafida Bencheida is founding member of Arab Women parliamentarians for equality, mediator with MWMN (Mediterranan Women Mediator); 6 years Senator, deputy chair of Human Rights and legal affairs Committee also member of Foreign Affairs; Advisor with Toledo International Peace Center, member of UNWomen panel on Election's in Arab region; member of ICAN (International Civil Action for Peace&Security) and WASL.

Head of Department DUEE, ENEA, Italy

Senator of the Italian Republic

Caretaker Minister of State for Administrative Reform, Lebanon

Dr. May CHidiac has been journalist for more than 25 years. In this position, she fought for the freedom of the Lebanese people when few dared to speak up against the prevailing state of tyranny, and that, through her show, “Nharkom Saiid”(1998 - 2005). Six months after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, she was attacked by a car bomb causing her to lose her left leg and arm. After ten months of numerous surgeries and rehabilitation, she returned to the TV screen in a prime time political talk show called “With Audacity”. She also continued her teaching career as Professor of Radio/TV at NDU-Louaizeh till present. Throughout her career, Chidiac received numerous international awards and prizes, of which: “ Chevalier de Legion d’honneur from President Chirac; “Le Prix de la Francophonie pour la Liberté d’Expression”, and the “UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award”, in 2006. In July 2017, she became a “Dame de l’Ordre de Saint Grégoire-le-Grand” at the Vatican and in November 2017, she was awarded the “Minerva Anna Maria Mammoliti Prize for Human and Civil Rights” in Rome, in the “Women in the World” Category. In January 2019, Her Excellency Dr. May Chidiac was designated Minister of State for the Administrative Reform in the government of His Excellency the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Saad Hariri.

Head of UN Peace and Security Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Senior Advisor European Affairs and Editor-in-chief of Aspenia, Aspen Institute Italia; President Women Empower the World – WE, Italy

Ms. Marta Dassù is Senior Director of European Affairs at The Aspen Institute and Editor-in-Chief of Aspen Institute Italia’s journal, Aspenia. She was Italy’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from November 2011 to February 2014. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Finmeccanica, Trevi Finanziaria and Fondazione eni Enrico Mattei. Executive President of Women for Expo and Vice President of The Center for American Studies in Rome. She sits on the Board of Directors of IAI (Istituto Affari Internazionali), as well as on the Board of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She is member of the Advisory Council of the European Policy Centre in Brussels and a member of the scientific committee of the LUISS School of Government in Rome. She is a regular contributor to the Italian newspaper La Stampa and is the author of various books and essays.

Director, Women Empower the World – WE, Italy

Ms. Vichi De Marchi is the Director of WE – Women empower the World – a committee dealing with women in international relations and diplomacy hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of Save the Children Italy and a former spokesperson for the United Nations Word Food Programme. I am a journalist and children writer.

Former UN Special Envoy for Syria

Mr Staffan de Mistura has been UN Special Envoy for Syria from 2014 to 2018 . In 2010, he was appointed Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; in 2009, Deputy Executive Director for External Relations of the World Food Programme. Mr. de Mistura served in Iraq as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative (2007-2009). He was Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General of Southern Lebanon (2001-2004). He worked as WFP Project Officer in Sudan for the United Nations and has organized food aid and relief operations in Ethiopia, the Balkans and Rwanda. As an Emergency Relief Officer in Chad he led the first-ever UN airdrop operation. He served in the Food and Agriculture Organization before returning to WFP as Director of Operations in Sudan. He also served as Director of Fundraising and External Relations at the UN Office of the Coordinator for Afghanistan, and has held a variety of posts with UNICEF.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Member of the Chamber of Deputies, Italy

Fellow and Editor in Chief of Sada, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), USA

Board Member, Valore D, Italy; Chief Communication & Stakeholder Engagement Officer, illimity

Thanks to her dual Italian and Austrian nationality, Ms. Isabella Falautano has an international outlook and a talent for communicating with clients across the world. In her early carreer, she was with the Istituto Affari Internazionali, the World Bank and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers before venturing into a long private-sector career. First with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena and then AXA, for more than a decade. At AXA, she became executive director, having developed the communications division and team, CSR and institutional relations on a start-up basis. She joined illimity with the challenge of communicating and positioning a completely new entity on the Italian market. Championing innovation and diversity, she has been an active promoter of initiatives such as Valore D and Angels 4 Women: the first business angel network for start-up companies run by women. She is a member of various international networking organisations, acting as a World Responsible Leader of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund and Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur de la France. She is one of the top 100 digital women of Startupitalia and is listed on 100esperte.it.

President, Women in International Security Italy (WIIS)

Ms. Irene Fellin is Senior Fellow on gender and security issues at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), based in Rome. In her current role, Irene Fellin leads IAI's work on research projects dealing with the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000)+ on “Women, Peace and Security” within the framework of the UN, NATO, the OSCE and the EU and on strengthening women's inclusion in peace mediation efforts. Since early 2017, she has been working on the establishment and the coordination of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network (MWMN), an initiative promoted and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy in cooperation with IAI and Women in International Security (WIIS) Italy, aimed at promoting the role of women in peace mediation. At the same time, she works on education and training programs about the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda and on gender inclusive conflict mediation. She has trained members of the Armed Forces, UN peacekeepers, and civilians, including students at the Durham University where she was invited twice as a visiting lecturer. Prior of joining IAI, she worked as Gender Advisor of the Special Representative of NATO Secretary General for “Women, Peace and Security” and as a consultant at UNDP and UNICEF in Ankara. In 2016 she founded and remains the Executive President of the Italian antenna of WIIS – Women in International Security, a global network dedicated to advancing the leadership and professional development of women in the field of international peace and security.

Director, ODI Europe, UK

Ms. Marta Foresti is the Director of ODI’s Human Mobility Initiative, leading the institute engagement on migration at global, regional and local level. She is Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Global Affairs and the London School of Economics and she is acting as senior policy advisor for the consultation of the Global Compact For Migration and to the IOM’s Research Syndicate. She is a member of the Advisory Board of Refugeesdeeply.com, of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Migration Policy and Practice as well as of the Board of PorCausa.org.

President, European Alliance to Save Energy

Ms. Monica Frassoni è una politica italiana. Dal 1999 al 2009 è stata deputata al Parlamento Europeo e dal 2009 al 2019 è stata co-presidente del partito verde europeo. Nel 2010, ha co-fondato la European Alliance to Save Energy (di cui è l’attuale Presidente), un'organizzazione composta da importanti imprese e organizzazioni della società civile che ha l’obiettivo di promuovere e sostenere l'efficienza energetica. Dal 2013 presiede il consiglio di amministrazione del Centro europeo d’assistenza elettorale (ECES), una fondazione privata no-profit creata per realizzare progetti di assistenza elettorale in tutto il mondo.

Ambassador of Malta to Italy

Amb. Vanessa Frazier joined the Diplomatic Corps in 1992 serving as First Secretary in several embassies and also represented the CHOGM 2005 Taskforce in London. For 6 years Ambassador Frazier held the post of Director of the Defence Matters Directorate within the Office of the PM. As Head of the Defence Ministry she was responsible for a wide range of international security issues including Malta’s involvement in crises management operations overseas advising and supporting the PM in the management and direction of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) and acting as the civilian oversight of the AFM. Here, together with her team, she consolidated Malta’s response to the Arab Spring and most particularly the crises in Libya. She was appointed Ambassador for Immigration and later Acting Permanent Secretary of the MFA. She most recently served in Brussels as Ambassador of Malta to Belgium, Luxembourg and NATO before being appointed Malta’s Ambassador to Italy in October 2013, accredited also to San Marino and the Rome-based UN bodies. In 2013 she was selected as a “Woman Inspiring Europe” by the European Institute for Gender Equality. The French Government awarded her the honour of Knight in the National Order of Merit for her work during the Libyan revolution and she was also awarded the Gran Croce of the Italian Medal of Honour and the Gran Croce Medal of Honour from the Brazilian Government. In 2019 Amb. Frazier received the Ambassador Alfred Zarb Ambassadorial Award for lifelong diplomatic achievement. Amb. Frazier has lectured at the University of Malta and is an external examiner and advisor on CSDP and humanitarian issues. In 2019 her alma mater, Luther College conferred a Doctorate Degree Honoris Causa onto her in recognition of her career achievements. She volunteered with the Red Cross in Washington DC as well as the Mentor Foundation and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in London.

Director, SEEMA Center for Training and Protection of Women & Child's Rights, Sudan

Ms. Nahid Gabralla is a Sudanese Human Rights activist, 1st female secretary general at the student union (UofK)1984-1985. She was member of different CSOs & NGOs; she was also the Head of the Sudanese network for ending FGM; she worked as a technical advisor in the National Program on the Ending FGM; she co-founded No to Women Oppression initiative; she is founder of the SEEMA Center, that provides integrated services to GBV victims; she won the European Union Human Rights Champion’s prize 2018 Sudan; she was subjected to harassment, summoned for questioning and detained in 1985, 2012, 2018 and 2019 due to her HR activism.

Head of Group Strategy Economics and Scenario, Enel, Italy

Francesca GOSTINELLI Head of Group Strategy Economics and Scenario, Enel, Italy Ms. Francesca Gostinelli currently holds the position of Head of Group Strategy, Economics and Scenario Planning for Enel SpA. Francesca is a passionate manager who dedicated 20 years of professional experience to #energy and #environment, covering roles ranging from regulation to business development to strategy, within business lines and Holding structures. She is married and has got two kids. Over the years, she covered positions as Head of Business Development (lately, 2014-2016 for the Global Generation Division at Enel, earlier 2010-2014 for the International Division at Enel), as Head of Regulation both for Italy (Endesa Italia, 2002-2007) and at International level (Enel, 2007-2010), she worked on Climate Change, CO2 management and Sustainability. She acted as a Member of the Board in various companies as per nomination by Enel Group, including Enel Green Power (2013-2015) and Endesa Chile (2015-2016), and represented the Companies she was working for in different Associations and High Level Working Groups. Francesca also enjoys dedicating time to 3 Alumni associations she's part of: German Marshall Fund (she was awarded the Fellowhip in 2010), Insead and Scuola Mattei, sharing different experiences, mentoring and nurturing networks and projects worldwide, #giveback.

Member, Technical Committee on gender Equality to the peace process in Cyprus; Member, MWMN, Cyprus

Ms. Maria Hadjipavlou is an expert in conflict resolution, gender and conflict, and women, peace and security. Her book ‘Women and Change in Cyprus: Feminisms, Gender in Conflict’ (I.B. Tauris, 2010) became a reference book. As a scholar and practitioner she has co-founded many peace building and women's organizations across the divide, including GAT. She is a member of the Technical Committee on Gender Equality in the Cyprus Peace negotiations. She has promoted peace across the divide in Cyprus for the last four decades and is a trainer in conflict resolution and gender-raising consciousness she worked abroad including Afghanistan, Tunisia, Bratislava, Northern Ireland, Greece and Turkey.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Palestine

Amb. Amal Jadou has assumed her position as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates of the State of Palestine as of Sep 19, 2019. Prior to this position, she worked for six years as Assistant Minister on European Affairs. In 2009, she served as Deputy Chief of the Palestinian Mission in Washington, DC. Ambassador Jadou also served as the Director-General of the International Affairs Department at the Office of the President of Palestine. In that capacity, she served as a close aide to the president on international relations and focused a lot on relations with the United States. Amb. Jadou also served as Director General of the US Desk at the Council of Ministers of the State of Palestine where she worked on enhancing bilateral relations with the US. At the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, she wrote her Ph.D. Dissertation on “Regime Analysis”: An Alternative to Traditional Explanations of the Failure of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process (1993-2000) where she explored the mediation role of the subsequent US administrations in resolving the Palestinian Israeli conflict. She speaks three languages: Arabic, English and Hebrew. Amb. Jadou was decorated in July 2018 with “the Lady Star of the Night” Medal from the Italian President Sergio Mattarella, for her role in strengthening the Palestinian-Italian bilateral relations.

Deputy Head, Syrian Negotiation Commission, Switzerland

Ms. Hind Kabawat is a lawyer Director and adjunct professor of Interfaith Peacebuilding at George Mason University's Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution and a visiting fellow at Harvard Law school (PON). She was awarded the Peacemakers in Action Award in 2007 from the Tanenbaum Centre for Interreligious Understanding in New York, and the Public Diplomacy Award from CRDC, George Mason University in 2009. She was a member of the Future of the Middle East, World Economic Forum, Davos in 2009. She is also a founding member of Tastakel, a women's organization dedicated to using non-violence and dialogue to address the ongoing conflict in Syria. Tastakel runs three education women centers in southern Turkey and Idlib, teaching mediation and peace building to 200 IDPs, refugees and local women.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Yemen

Ms. Tawakkol Karman is a human rights activist, journalist, politician, president of Women Journalists Without Chains organization. She serves as the General Coordinator of the peaceful youth revolution council. Known as the “mother of the revolution”, “the iron woman” and “the lady of the Arab Spring,” Karman played a key role in the 2011 pro-democracy youth uprising in Yemen. She was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her leadership in non-violent struggle and her advocacy against authoritarianism, corruption, oppression and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work in Yemen. Karman is the first Arab woman and the second Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and at the time was the youngest recipient at 32.

Fondazione Bracco, Italy

Ambassador for Peace Mediation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland

Ms. Sirpa Maenpaa was appointed in 2016 Ambassador for Mediation in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. She served as Finland’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa in 2013-16, following particularly African Union’s role in peacemaking in the African continent, the conflict in South Sudan and the political developments in Ethiopia. In 2009-2013 she was Finland’s Ambassador in Thailand, covering also Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR. During these years Finland launched several initiatives to support Myanmar peace process, for instance capacity-building of ethnic armed groups for peace negotiations. Ms. Maenpaa is a member of Nordic Women Mediators – Finland network.

Executive Director, Strategic Alliances: Latin America Meeting Africa - SALMA Program, Tunisia

Ms. Amina Magouri is an investment and public policies expert who has over ten years of international experience in advisory and business consulting. She is the Executive Director of SALMA Program - Strategic Alliances: Latin America Meeting Africa, and Capital Consulting Managing Partner. Amina is co-founder of a public policies Tunisian ThinkTank; board member and regional leader of International Women Entrepreneur Council (CIFE), and Réseau des Femmes d’Affaires du Québec - RFAQ fellow.

President, Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), Italy

Amb. Giampiero Massolo is President of ISPI since January 2017. He has also been Chairman of Fincantieri Spa since May 2016. He was appointed Deputy Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister on October 1993. In 1994, he was designated Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Since June 1996 he served as Head of the Press and Information Office and the Minister’s spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since September 2001, he served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between March 2004 and May 2006, he was Director General for Multilateral Political Affairs and Human Rights and then Head of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. On January 2006, he was appointed to the rank of Ambassador. Director General for Personnel since May 2006, in September 2007 he became Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From April 2008 to December 2009 he also served as Personal Representative of the Italian Prime Minister for the G8/G20 Summits (Sherpa). From May 2012 until May 2016 he was the Director General of the Department for Intelligence and Security (DIS), the coordinating body of the Italian intelligence community. He speaks English, French, Russian and Polish.

Ambassador, Mission of the League of Arab States in Rome

Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Amb. Laura Mirachian is a career Ambassador. Four years as President of Italian Women in Diplomacy. She worked in Mogadishu, Dublin, Geneva UN/WTO, as Chargé d'Affaires in Beograd during the '90 wars, as Ambassador in Damascus, as Director General for European Countries (including Russia, Republics of Caucasus, of former Yougoslavia and Albania, of Central Asia), as Permanent Representative to UN/OOII in Geneva. Several Italian and Foreign Countries honours.

Ambassador of Palestine to Italy

Amb. Abeer Odeh has covered different positions: July 2015-April 2019: Minister of National Economy of the State of Palestine; August 2009-July 2015: Chief Executive Officer, Palestine Capital Market Authority, Ramallah, Palestine; April 2001-August 2009: Chief Financial Analyst at USAID, West Bank & Gaza; October 2000- April 2001: Chief Controller/Financial Manager at the Palestine Industrial Estate Development and Management Pvt.Ltd.Co.; January 1998-October 2000: Project Director and Financial Expert at World Bank Project, Ramallah, Palestine; October 1987-December 1997: Chief Auditor and Auditor at the General Control Office, Ramallah, Palestine.

President, Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company, Cyprus

Prof. Toula Onoufriou is currently President of Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company, Professor at the Cyprus University of Technology and Academic Visitor at Imperial College (UK). She combines international experience from academia and the offshore oil and gas industry, where she held several positions of high responsibility as Vice Rector, President, Head of Department, Director of Research and Head of Research Centres. She also served as member of national councils and expert committees advising the President and Government of Cyprus on national strategy for energy, oil and gas, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. She obtained her PhD in Offshore Structures from Imperial College (UK).

Professor, University of Algiers 2, Algeria

Prof. Fatma Oussedik est Sociologue et professeure à l'Universite d'Alger, fatma Oussedik est une militante active de la société civile et du mouvement feministe Algeriens. Elle a ecrit de nombreux ouvrages et articles, notamment sur les Institutions Ibadites en Algerie, les mutations familiales, les pratiques çulturelles et la situation des femmes. Ses travaux portent sur ce qu'elle considère comme des minorités politiques: les femmes, les jeunes et les minorités religieuses. Elle interroge deux concepts clés, selon elle, explicatif du statut de ces populations: l'alibi communautariste et l'exigence démocratique. Elle intervient dans les principaux médias afin de participer au mouvement social à partir de ces réflexions.

Chair, SDSN Italia; Senior Advisor, ASviS, Italy

Ms. Sabina Ratti coordinates the Environmental Accounting working group of Agip SpA and realizes the company Environmental Report, among of the first ones published worldwide. In the late 90s, she is appointed Responsible of the HSE and PR department of the Eni Southern Italy Operative District and, after this work “on the ground”, Supervisor of the CSR and Sustainable Management Research Program of Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM). She is nominated Eni Sustainability Senior Vice President in 2006, contributing to Eni international reputation as a sustainable leader company, and then FEEM Executive Director in 2015. Following her triennial mandate in FEEM, she reinforces her commitment to sustainable development and to Agenda 2030 chairing the Italian network of UN SDSN and working as Senior Advisor within ASviS, the Alliance of the Italian civil society for Sustainable Development. She is Chairwoman of the family owned wine-producing company, that dates back to 1558.

Country Director, Women Now For Development, Lebanon

Director General, Egyptian African Center for Women; Founding Member, MWMN, Egypt

Ms. Soad Shalaby has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for over forty years and has reached the highest level by serving twice as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mozambique and Swaziland (1996-2000), as well as Finland and Estonia (2003-2007). She has been a groundbreaker and role model for women in the MFA. She became the first woman to be Director of the Institute for Diplomatic Studies. This was consequently followed by a five year term as the Director and Founder of CCCPA. She is currently the Director General of the Egyptian African Centre for Women (EACW).

UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Belgium in Italy

Min. Birgit Stevens is Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Head of Mission Embassy of Belgium in Rome Professional experience 2008 – 2014 and 2015-2017: Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Belgium in Cairo 2006-2008; Head, European Security and Defence Policy, MFA, Brussels 2004-2006; First Secretary, Political, Embassy of Belgium in Washington, DC 2000-2004; Head of Human Rights Section, Permanent Delegation of Belgium to the UN, New York 2002-2003; Vice-Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women 1998-2000; First Secretary, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Belgium in Kigali 1996-1998; Trainee-diplomat 1995-1996; Deputy Director, Dutch-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC) 1992-95; Secondary School History teacher and Assistant at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Studies 1989

Full Professor of Economics, University RomaTre, Italy

Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, European Union

Ms. Susanna Terstal has been the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process since September 2018. The tasks of the Special Representative are to contribute to actions and initiatives leading to a final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two-state solution. From 2015-2018 she was Dutch Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the first two years of her posting to Iran she also represented the European Union in the absence of an EU delegation. In 2012 she was posted to Angola as Dutch Ambassador. Prior to this she was deputy head of mission at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the UN in Geneva. Susanna Terstal joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands in 1994. She began her career in the legal directorate, where she held different positions, also working on European issues. Before working for the ministry, she worked in the private sector.

Chief Diversity Office, European Space Agency (ESA)

Executive Director, Business Women Forum, Palestine

Ms. Doa Wadi is the Executive Director of Business Women Forum (BWF)-Palestine since 2008. BWF is a nonprofit organization established in 2006 with a mission to strengthen the role of businesswomen as leaders in the Palestinian economy through advocacy, networking, and the provision of business services. Ms. Wadi has more than 20 year experience in development, especially for women economic empowerment and encouraging entrepreneurship. She has attended advanced training courses in regional and international NGOs and further developed her capacity in Management for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). She lead and gave a significant contribution developing BWF into a well positioned local NGO for women economic empowerment. She also participated as a speaker, facilitator in different local and international conferences. She is representing BWF at WEAM - Regional Business Women consortium. She is a member of the national committee for Women Employment NCWE, national committee for Financial Inclusion with Palestinian Monetary Authority -PMA, and the team working for Palestinian Diaspora with DAI -PMDP. Ms. Wadi participated as a member of Jury with NGO’s, Banks to evaluate Businesses for young entrepreneurs. She has 7 years experience in developing Programs targeting Female Youth and engaging them in the economic sphere and raises their employability by enhancing their soft skills and abilities. She worked directly with more than 300 graduates and 500 business women and entrepreneurs throughout the past 10 years.

Founding Member, MWMN; Member, Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth Network, Cyprus

Ms. Magda Zenon is a peace and human rights activist. Her focus is on gender-based violence and women’s participation and the integration of the gender perspective in peace processes. She is a founding member of Hands Across the Divide, Cyprus’s first women’s island-wide organisation and of the Cyprus Women’s Lobby, which represents the Republic of Cyprus at the European Women’s Lobby. Magda has also spent the last 6 years following her passion by hosting her own online women’s forum entitled kaleidHERscope, which aims at promoting women in peacebuilding.