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Foundational Event of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network

26/10/2017, Rome

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, opened the founding conference of the “Mediterranean Women Mediators Network” (MWMN), one of the qualifying initiatives of Italy’s mandate within the UN Security Council (UNSC), organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) in conjunction with the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and the Women in International Security  (WIIS) Italia.

In addition to the 47 women mediators that started off the network, the event was attended by representatives of the Diplomatic Missions of the Countries of origin of the women mediators (Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Jordan, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Palestine, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey), and members of the academic world, as well as experts on mediation and on the on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

Following Minister Alfano’s opening remarks, the event – moderated by Hon. Lia Quartapelle, President of the Honorary Board of WIIS Italia –  continued with comments by Ambassador Giansanti, by the Deputy Executive Director of UNWOMEN, Yannick Glemarec, by the Director of the IAI, Nathalie Tocci, and by the President of WIIS, Irene Fellin.

After the opening session, the conference continued as follows: 

- A high-level round table open to the press with the participation of the representatives of other EU and OSCE women mediators networks, and of Judit Simanca Herrera, former member of the FARC guerrilla who took part in the peace negotiations in Colombia;

- Three working groups reserved to women mediators to agree on the text of the Declaration of Intent and Founding Principles of the Networks, their working method and a Roadmap for 2018-2019;

- A presentation followed by a debate on the results of the three working groups ;  

- A closing session, with remarks by the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Vincenzo Amendola, followed by the adoption of the Declaration of Intent and Founding Principles of the Networks.

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