BPW International

• IFBPW was established 80 years ago in Geneva, Switzerland between an American woman - Lena Madesin Phillips and European women

• In 1947, IFBPW was the first women's organisation to gain U.N. General Consultative Status

• IFBPW is part of the "Five-O" group of associations - Soroptimists, Zonta, International Federation of University Women, and Council of Women

• IFBPW has a BPW member who represents BPW and women's interests at the various UN agencies (UN ESCAP, Project Five-O, UNIFEM, etc.

BPW International has played a major role in all four World Conferences for Women from 1975 to 1995 and is part of the Five-O of top NGO organisations (Rotary, Soroptimist, International Federation of University Women and the Council of Women).

In addition, BPW International has sponsored and participated in regional meetings which included training seminars, workshops, conferences and trade fairs. BPW International is a sponsoring organisation of the Global Summit of Women.

BPW International's next major International Congress is scheduled to be held in Lucerne in 2005. The last BPW International Congress was held in Melbourne, Australia in 2002.

Detailed information on BPW's international UN status can be found in Dr. Chonchanok Viravan's speech on BPW International and the United Nations which she presented at the APEC WLN in July 2003. Dr. Viravan is also the First Vice President for BPW International and Chair of the UN and Status of Women Committee for BPW International.

The current president of BPW International is Antoinette Ruegg.

United Nations:

BPW International has general consultative status at the United Nations and its numerous agencies which means BPW has a representative who represents BPW members and women around the world. BPW International is allowed to make statements at UN meetings and is part of the "Five-O" of non-governmental organizations recognized by the United Nations since the 1940s.

The next BPW International Congress will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland in June 17-22, 2005.

Dr. Chonchonak Viravan's Speech on BPW International and the United Nations

About BPW International (Intl Federation of Business and Professional Women) Cantonese

About BPW International (Intl Federation of Business and Professional Women) Mandarin

BPW International XXV Congress, Luzern, Switzerland, June 2005

Jubilee Congress and 75th Anniversary of BPW International

The Association created two posters for display at the BPW International Congress in Luzern which talks about the events in the past three years and the Mentoring Programme. FedEx sponsored the shipping of the posters and the Association’s booklets and brochures to the BPW International Congress in Luzern.

anna fang public relations and the interns from City University of Hong Kong produced the posters for the Asia Pacific Region Display Board and for the Posters/Projects Board.

Main Programme Poster for Hong Kong

Mentoring Programme Poster for Hong Kong

The HKABPW Mentoring Programme was awarded as one of the outstanding entries in the Third BPW International Competition “Beyond 2000: Helping Women Help Themselves”. The awards which are for projects around the region and the world will be presented at the 25^th BPW International Congress in Luzern, Switzerland, in June 2005.

The winning report from HKABPW for the Mentoring Programme project can be accessed on www.hkabpw.org//app/webroot/files/3/BPWI2005.doc

BPW International Congress - Melbourne, Australia, October 2002

For a summary report on the BPW International Congress held in Melbourne, Australia in 2002, go to:www.bpw.com.au/NewsHistory.htm

Summary and thank-you by Antoinette Ruegg, BPW International President 2002-2005

European International Congress (September 2003, Rome, Italy)

Young BPW Congress
"A World of Peace - "Passion, Power, Dedication - Smart Leaders' Future Strategies"
3rd International Young BPW Meeting, September 2003, Rome, Italy
Young BPW Program

Young BPW International

BPW International