Events

On 2nd July the Robert Schuman Foundation and the association "Femmes, Débat et Société" organised under the high patronage of the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, under the banner of the French Presidency, an international conference "Women for Europe" at Sciences Po Paris.

In the three planned panel sessions, top-level European personalities from various fields offered proposals to reinforce the links between women citizens and Europe:

• What are the values that European women have in common?
• How can Europe help to reduce inequality between men and women, starting with training and access to careers? How can it help women to balance their personal and professional lives?
• What contribution can European women make to a more "humanist" approach to globalisation (social affairs, microcredit, the environment and sustainable development, development aid, etc.)?

Welcome addresses:
Richard Descoings, General Manager, Sciences Po.
Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman, Robert Schuman Foundation.
Florence Richard, Lawyer and Chairwoman, Femmes, Débat et Société.

See all the pictures of the conference





Panel 1: Women of Europe: which values do we share?
An exclusive CSA survey undertaken in the spring 2008 for this conference reveals the opinions about the Union's achievements in all areas and reveals expectations with regard to European policy. This survey shows a feminine view of the values presented and a request for an extre­mely specific type of Europe. This debate, chaired by a major European figure, Vaira Vike-Frei­berga and moderated by François Lenglet, a journalist and writer, brings together renowned academics, international company heads, leading European politicians to speak of their joint history and development of the progress that still has to be made to build a better and greater Europe, notably with regard to values that women are sensitive to.

Chairwoman:
Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Former President of Latvia. Vice-president of the Working Group on the Future of the European Union.

Moderator:
François Lenglet, Editorial Director of Enjeux-Les Echos.

Keynote speaker:
Meglena Kuneva, European Commissioner in charge of Consumer Protection.

Speakers:
Bolette Christensen, Chairwoman of Danish Industries Confederation.
Pascale Joannin, General Manager, Robert Schuman Foundation.
Janine Mossuz-Lavau, Research Director, Cevipof.
Véronique Paulus de Châtelet, Governor of Brussels.
Michelle Perrot, Historian, Emeritus Professor at the University Paris 7.
Anna Zaborska, MEP, Slovakia, Chairwoman, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality.

Morning's conclusion by Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French State Secretary for European Affairs.



Panel 2: How Europe boosts girls and women (education, higher education, research, jobs)
Although equality between men and women is now included in the fundamental European texts there is still disparity between men and women that finds its origin in education and orientation and which continues throughout a person's professional life. Effective, commendable work is being undertaken but there is still so much to do to foster women in our societies so that they can access all types of responsibility and for them to be able to combine their professional and family life in all serenity. This debate chaired by Claudie Haigneré, a scientist and politician brings together company heads and experts to put forward suggestions beyond ideas that have already been mooted. What should we do for Europe to become a springboard in terms of edu­cation and higher education so that girls opt increasingly for technical and scientific careers and for them to be acknowledged for the intrinsic value of their work?

Chairwoman:
Claudie Haigneré, Former French Minister, Doctor, Astronaut, European Space Agency.

Moderator:
Nathalie de Baudry d'Asson, CEO, Le Lien Public.

Keynote speaker:
Xavier Bertrand, French Minister for Labour, Labour Relations, Family and Solidarity. (to be confirmed)

Speakers:
Alexandra Cook-Schaapveld, Head of Europe, Royal Bank of Scotland.
Beatrice Dautresme, Executive Vice President, Communication and external relations Manager, L'Oréal.
Dominique de La Garanderie, Former chairwoman of the French Bar Association, Lawyer.
Véronique Morali, CEO of Fimalac Développement and of Force Femmes.
Michèle Pappalardo, Head of Sustainable Development for the French government.

Lecture by Michel Barnier, French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.



Panel 3: European women for a humanist vision of the globalisation
Globalisation is a fact and for Europeans it is not a question of knowing how we should rise up to the challenge of globalisation but rather how to act best in a globalised world. Europe has a card to play in putting forward a humanist model as part of this impetus that is changing the planet. The major issues of environment (Europe suggested an objective 2020, 20% reduction in CO2, 20% renewable energy sources), development aid for poorer countries (notably now at the moment as prices for primary goods and agricultural products are soaring), are linked to those of competitiveness of our economies and the protection of European social models, healthcare, security, equal opportunities, employment - these are all sources of constraint and new oppor­tunities. This debate, chaired by Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Secretary of State for Ecology, moderated by Brigitte Jeanperrin, economic journalist aims to put forward suggestions so that Europe enhances its role in these areas.

Chairwoman:
Nathalie Kosciusko Morizet, French State Secretary for Ecology.

Moderator:
Brigitte Jeanperrin, Economic journalist.

Speakers:
Marycruz Arcos Vargas, Deputy Rector, Seville University.
Catherine Ferrant, Director of Social Innovation and Diversity, Total.
Françoise Grossetête, MEP.
Maria Nowak, President of the Association for the Right to Economic Initiative.
Geneviève Sevrin, President of Amnesty France.
Christa Schnabl, Deputy Rector, University of Vienna.
Eva Maria Welkskopp-Deffaa, Director responsible for Parity, German Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.