ear BPW members in United States,

The President of BPW USA Barbara Bozeman asked me to write an article about BPW Europe to your Newsletter. I am greatly honored to address the members of the USA.

My name is Anu Viks, I am the Regional Coordinator of Europe 2021-2024 and 2024-2027. I come from a small by size, but big by courage country Estonia. I am the Past President of BPW Estonia, the member of BPW since 2002. My field of business is the international road transport industry. Working in the male dominated area has motivated me to inspire women to take action for their own careers, lives and economic independence.

My motto is - everything is possible, just believe in yourself. 

Europe is the biggest region in IFBPW with 17500 members in 32 countries. The biggest Federation is BPW Italy with 10500 members. BPW Europe is led by the Executive Council consisting of 5 members – the Regional Coordinator/Chair of the EC Anu Viks (BPW Estonia), Secretary Carmen Taheny (BPW Ireland), Treasurer Mariane Pontone (BPW Germany), Communication Officer Valentina Ceban (BPW Moldova/BPW Switzerland), Young BPW Representative Anna Zimmerman (BPW Germany).

The most important event of BPW Europe this year is the Regional Conference in Malta 23-25 May 2025. The host of the Regional Conference is BPW Valletta Club in Malta. You are invited to join the European Region at the Conference in Malta https://bpwmalta.com/bpw- european-conference-2025/. The registration is opened. Malta is a lovely island in the Mediterranean Sea with the rich history.

The position of Communication Officer of BPW Europe was created in 2021 as it is essential to the European Region as we have 17500 members in 32 different countries. Effective communication is the key priority to keep members informed about the work of the European Region, to inform about upcoming events, webinars, advocating, networking and sharing best practices. This was the purpose of modernizing the BPW Europe website, social media channels, and create the BPW Europe LinkedIn account. Now BPW Europe communication reaches thousands of members every week.

My mission as the Regional Coordinator is to bring the Presidents of European Region together and share information and best practices the regular online Presidents meeting. During the regular online meetings Presidents can share their experiences, communicate their success stories and receive good knowledge from the different guest speakers. The first online meeting took place at the end of 2020. These regular meetings have made European Presidents a strong, friendly and well working group. The feeling of sisterhood was especially important during Covid times to keep the Federations and Clubs operating and active. Giving each other advice and support helped many Clubs to get through the challenging Covid time and keep up the numbers of membership.

BPW Europe had four active Working Groups in 2021, my intention was to carry on the work of the Groups and create new ones. With the help of two seasoned

members (Moyra McMahon BPW Ireland President and Myriam Heidelberger BPW Switzerland co- President) the revision on the Groups was made and some groups received new Chairs, and the work continued - Learning for Leadership (Conny Montague, BPW Germany); Women on Boards (Eufemia Ippolito, BPW Italy); Charter on the Girls Rights (Pinella Bombaci, BPW Italy). Equal Pay Day (Karine Babule, BPW France). Two new Working Groups were established – Green and Sustainable Future (Siiri Puttonen, BPW Estonia) and WEPs (Radmila Jirkovska, BPW Prague Czech Republic). All Working Groups are now well established and active, organizing webinars, seminars, training sessions, meetings.

There are 4 Networks inside Europe – DACH (German speaking members from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein), Adrion Net (Clubs around Adriatic Sea), Danube Net (Clubs around Danube River) and newly created in May 2024 Nordic Network (countries in Scandinavia – Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Baltic Sea region – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland).

BPW Europe has been unitedly working to support our BPW Club in Chernihiv Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine who have arrived to all countries in Europe. BPW Poland members have been tirelessly working to receive and help the refugees who arrived after the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the strain has been enormous. Many Federations and Clubs have received funds from BPW International Support Ukraine Fund for projects – Poland, Ireland, Romania, Madrid Spain to support refugees and BPW United Kingdom to support Ukrainian women inside Ukraine. BPW UK project was focused on helping BPW Chernihiv Club in Ukraine. From the funds of the Support Ukraine Fund BPW UK President Jo Kinsey together with Amelie Leclercq (BPW Sofia Bulgaria) bought a van for Chernihiv Club to help people in need to get to the medical facilities and to deliver groceries for those who are not able to look after themselves. City of Chernihiv was heavily bombed in the beginning of 2022, buildings and road network were destroyed. Many Chernihiv Club members lost their homes. The van was packed with goods needed in Chernihiv (blankets, pillows, medicine) and delivered in April 2024 to the members of Chernihiv Club Julia Zayka and Viktoria Filatova.

BPW Europe is registered in Brussels Belgium. BPW Europe is registered in the hub of Brussels based women organizations – Amazone building on Rue du Meridien 10, 1210 Brussels.

BPW Europe has representation in European Women`s Lobby (EWL). Our Representatives in EWL is Miette Dechelle (BPW Belgium) and alternate Representative is Pille Tsopp Pagan (BPW Estonia). BPW Europe’s work and actions on women empowerment and advocacy are reflected to EWL. Through EWL BPW Europe is participating in European wide work and campaigns for ending violence against women. In 2024 BPW Europe presented the Manifesto of BPW Europe to EWL consisting of 5 main points – empowerment, gender equality, proportional representation in equal pay for equal work, women on Boards and decision-making, and leadership in Europe.

BPW International and BPW Europe have the Representative in the Council of Europe. The Representative takes part in the online and F2F meetings and reports the activities of BPW to the Council of Europe and the work of the Council of Europe to BPW. The Representative is Pinella Bombaci (BPW Italy).

BPW Europe has the representation in the European Institute for Gender Equality. EIGE is the body of the European Union established by Regulation No. 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of December 20, 2006, which began work in 2007. Equality between men and women is one of the basic principles of the European Union. EIGE headquarters is in Vilnius Lithuania. BPW Europe is represented by the members of BPW Vilnius Chamber Club Lithuania, the current Representative is the President of the Club Irma Spudiene.

The work of BPW Europe and my work as the Regional Coordinator can be best described in 3 important words – empowerment, equality and inclusion. Our mission is to ensure Equal Pay for equal work between Women and Men; obtain work-life balance for Women and Men supported by incentives, infrastructures, policies and laws; realize women’s equality in political decision-making and on Boards; empower women in their professional and leadership potential; guarantee all women equal economic independence free from discrimination and harassment against women at work; allocate and implement gender responsive budgets to realize women’s rights and equality at all levels; and represent Women in economic, civil and political life.

Just few weeks ago at the Leaders’ Summit of BPW International in New York I heard a quote from Past International President Elisabeth Benham. She was quoting Susan Jones, Past Vice President of IFBPW from Australia. I took a liking to this quota immediately.

“BPW allows ordinary women to do extraordinary things!”

With best wishes,

Anu Viks
BPW Europe Regional
Coordinator