Entrepreneurship as a path to socio-economic inclusion of migrant women

The ATHENA Project (Approaches To valorise the High ENtrepreneuriAl potential of migrant women to contribute to their social and economic integration) is a two-year project funded by the AMIF Fund of the European Union with the aim to contribute to the economic and social integration of migrant women in the EU society by improving the services of entrepreneurship support oriented to migrant women and creating a specific entrepreneurial path for them.

The aim of the event is to present and discuss with the European stakeholders and policy makers the project results including the policy recommendations and actions plans to be implemented to support and enhance migrant women entrepreneurship.

The event will hybrid (in presence and online) and simultaneously translated to German and Spanish.

Agenda

The event will be moderated by Ms Katja Legisa, Entrepreneurship Director at the Digital Leadership Institute

9:30h - 10:00h Registration

10:00h - 10:15h Introduction & Welcome

• Mr Stefano Mallia, President of the Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Mr Pablo Morales, Coordinator of the Athena project, Chamber of Commerce of Seville

10:15h – 11:00h - Athena Project outcomes and findings:

• Analysis of the needs of migrant women towards entrepreneurship across Europe and good practices identified - Presented by Ms Paola Andrisani and Ms. Barbara Desario, project officiers at Nova Onlus
• Capacity building and preparation of new services of support for migrant women entrepreneurs - Presented by Ms Daiva Jonuskiene, Project Manager at Siauliai Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts
• Lessons learned from the implementation of business services for migrant women - Presented by Ms Anna Borowa, Project officer, IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH
• Policy recommendations & sustainability – Presented by Ms Cheryl Novak, Research Associate and Project Officer at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy

11:00h - 11:30h Coffee break

11:30h - 12:30h - Expert panel discussion 1: Policy priorities for the inclusion of migrant women entrepreneurs

What actions should the EU take to facilitate the integration of migrant women entrepreneurs? Policy recommendations from the experts and ATHENA project

Moderated by Ms Cheryl Novak, Research Associate at the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy

• Ms Maria-Helena De Felipe, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Spokesperson of the SMEs category

• Ms Virginia Paloma, Director of the Center of Community Research and Action at the University of Seville
• Ms Birgit Arens, Senior Project Officer at EUROCHAMBRES

• Ms Carmela Cotrone, Public Officer at the Regional Administration of Campania
• Ms Anastasia Benekou, Integration Associate, the UN Refugee Agency
• Dr. Sinem Yilmaz - integration Policy Analyst at Migration Policy Group

12:30h - 14:00h - Networking lunch

14:00h - 14:45h - Expert panel discussion 2: Opportunities or obstacles? Recommendations addressing the challenges faced by migrant women entrepreneurs

What steps should be taken and by which stakeholders in order to facilitate the financial and legal integration of new migrant women entrepreneurs?

Moderated by Ms Begoña Duque Arroyo , European Project Manager at INCOMA Group

• Ms Mamen Soria, Entrepreneurship expert at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville
• Ms Loubna Azghoud, Gender equality and entrepreneurship strategy, CEO of Innovation Valley
• Ms Siham Zarkan, Project Manager at SheDIDIT
• Ms Tina Marquart, consultant at Jumpp Ihr Sprungbrett in die Selbständigkeit, Frauenbetriebe e. V.
• Ms Rosy Cascella, Camera di Commercio Bari - Progetto Futurae

14:45h - 15:30h - Success stories of women entrepreneurs

Moderated by Ms Loredana Bucseneanu, Development Director at the Digital Leadership Institute

• Ms Jessica van Dop DeJesús, Founder Dining Traveler Media
• Ms Magna Solange Dos Santos , Entrepreneur in the hospitality sector
• Ms Albina Savciuc, Entrepreneur in the sustainable jewellery sector
• Ms Viviana Santana, Entrepreneur in external services to hotels
• Ms Blessing Ayomonsuru, Entrepreneur in trading ethnic food products

15:30h - 16:00h - AMIF future opportunities Focus group

Moderated by Mr Pablo Morales, Coordinator of the Athena project, Chamber of Commerce of Seville

• Mr Juan Guerrero Caballero - General Manager and Head of the Department of International R& D Projects at INCOMA

• Ms Carmela Cotrone - Policy Expert at the Regional Administration of Campania
• Ms. Anna Zurek and Mr. Desmond Gardner, Financial Instruments Advisors, European Investment Bank

16:00 - 16:15 Closing of the conference

Please note that registration is mandatory for attending the event. Your personal data will be shared with the European Economic and Social Committee Visitors Office in order to grant you access to the building on the day of the event.

The event is organized with the support of the Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee .

For more info about the project visit www.athenaproject.netr the Facebook and Instagram page.