Meet the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria. It is a non-governmental organization dedicated to popularizing beneficial practices and programs that encourage women’s career development and growth in the SME sector. Its president Dr. Boryana Manolova, CEO of Siemens Bulgaria, spoke at an UNESCO conference in Paris focusing on “UNESCO’s Soft Power Today: Fostering Women’s Empowerment and Leadership.” Mrs. Nancy Schiller, President of America for Bulgaria Foundation, was a special guest.
While at UNESCO, Mrs. Schiller met with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova to discuss the Foundation’s significant projects in the field of cultural heritage. The meeting was also attended by Ambassador of Bulgaria in France, Angel Cholakov. Ms. Bokova was impressed by the scale and significance of the restoration project of the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis in Plovdiv, which will be realized in partnership with the Municipality of Plovdiv. The Bishop’s Basilica, with over 2,000 square meters of Roman mosaics dating from the 4th – 6th centuries A.D., is the largest such active site in Europe. The project will be submitted for UNESCO recognition in early 2018.
Back in Sofia, the Council of Women in Business hosted a special guest – Mrs. Debra Flanz, CEO of Business Clarity LLC and head of the Women Presidents’ Organization in New York. The topic of the meeting was “Successful Women and the Work-Life Balance” and the discussion raised a number of issues related to women’s equality and career development.
Mrs. Flanz focused on the need to be organized and on another equally important aspect – being understood and supported by your partner. She added that women need to encourage each other’s professional development and highlighted an organization in New York, the Financial Women’s Association. Its members educate women on money management and leadership skills. A key aspect is the mentorship program, in which professional women cooperate with universities and other institutions of higher learning and organize summer schools.
