The Macedonian delegation led by the President of the Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, took part at the 14th Eurasian Economic Forum organized by the Marmara Foundation in Istanbul, 13-15 April 2011. Ms. Maja Ivanova was part of the delegation and participated at the parallel Women’s Business Forum on “The Leader’s Spouses as Role Models and Their Impact on Women Policies”.

Addressing the Forum, Ms. Ivanova reflected on the position of women in family, women in politics, women in terms of social protection, in terms of health, women in business, culture, and in many other segments of social life, conveying the general image of women in Macedonian society. She also presented her activities, being the First Lady of the Republic of Macedonia, the fields of action, the reasons for it, and the initiatives and projects planned for the coming period. She also referred to the respect and practice of the concepts of gender equality and equal opportunities for women in the Republic of Macedonia.

“I urge you to remain strong even when we feel that we might have run out of all our strengths, to look deep inside ourselves and find a new inspiration for our future activities. I believe that we, the women, have the will and strength to overcome any failure and to endure in that struggle. If we can not do this alone, then we should be united and look at the historical examples of the eternal inspiration for some women”, said Ms. Ivanova in his address at the Women’s Business Forum.

As a forum participant, at the end of the event, she participated in the ceremony of lighting candles in memory of women worldwide, victims of violence and a call to support the “Platform for rehabilitation of women victims of violence”. Ms. Ivanova, in this symbolic ceremonial gesture, recalled the words of the U.S. First Lady, Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt, who once said: “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness”.