The WDN, in collaboration with the European People’s Party (EPP) www.epp.eu, hosted a two-day seminar in Brussels, Belgium on April 1 and 2, 2009 that focused on coalition building at the parliamentary level. The program brought together 13 women local elected officials and members of parliament from across the Balkan region.

During the first day of the seminar, the delegation was welcomed by President and Co-founder of the EPP Mr. Wilfred Martens, EPP General Secretary Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, and EPP Political Advisor Emanuela Farris. Day one also included presentations from each of the countries represented at the conference on examples of coalitions and/or problems facing women in building coalitions in their own parliaments. Ms. Lindi Harvey, a business and government executive and community advocate from the U.S., provided case studies of women working in coalitions in the U.S. Congress.

Additional guest speakers included EPP Secretary of External Affairs, Kostas Sasmatzoglou, who discussed the current EPP policy and presence within the Balkan region and Deputy Political Counselor of the U.S. Mission to the European Union (EU), Mary Curtin. Ms. Curtin provided insight to program participants on the work that the U.S. conducts with the EU and the European Parliament.

On day two, the delegation was hosted by MEP from Bulgaria and WDN member, Dushana Zdravkova, at the European Parliament (EP). Participants had the opportunity to meet with MEP Doris Pack from Germany who holds a number of positions in the parliament including chairwomen for the relations with countries of south-eastern Europe and president of the EPP’s Women’s Group. Following the meeting, MEP Zdravkova gave a presentation on the trend of women in politics throughout Europe over the past five years and also on new gender initiatives of the EP. The delegation also sat-in on an afternoon voting session of parliament and toured numerous European Parliament buildings.