Inaugural G(irls)20 Summit Begins in Toronto

Summit highlights the prowess girls and women have on economic prosperity

TORONTO, June 16 /CNW Telbec/ - The positive impact of girls and women will be on the agenda this week as the G(irls)20 Summit takes centre stage in Toronto. Twenty-one girls from the G20 nations and the African Union have come together to discuss how girls and women can help solve some of the world's greatest challenges. While in Toronto, the delegates will work together to develop tangible solutions and will participate in various workshops addressing financial literacy, media relations, problem solving, and how to utilize social media and technology to communicate globally.

"The G(irls)20 Summit delegates are 21 young women coming together to be catalysts for change," said Belinda Stronach, founder of The Belinda Stronach Foundation, the organization spearheading the Summit. "They have an opportunity to work together to identify and collectively come up with concrete solutions that will change minds, change lives and quite literally, change the world."

The delegates will present a Communiqué based on discussions throughout the Summit at a press conference on Friday, June 18.

The 21 delegates were selected from among hundreds of applicants and were chosen based on their responses to questions that focussed on leadership, personal triumph and analytical skills.

    
    1.   Laura Dolozi (African Union)      12.  Alberta Pelino (Italy)
    2.   Maria Julieta Leiva               13.  Aiki Segawa (Japan)
         (Argentina)                       14.  Tania Patricia Montemayor
    3.   Jane Harris (Australia)                Arroyo (Mexico)
    4.   Thais Moraes (Brazil)             15.  Anna Olegovna Malinovskaya
    5.   Leah Clare Stuart-Sheppard             (Russia)
         (Canada)                          16.  Anwar Islem Basunbul
    6.   Xinyun Zhang (China)                   (Saudi Arabia)
    7.   Simona Nicoleta Popa              17.  Nomathemba Sibanyoni
         (European Union-Romania)               (South Africa)
    8.   Inès Le Bihan (France)            18.  Eun-Hyang Go (South Korea)
    9.   Alexandra Valerie Rose Rieger     19.  Irem Tümer (Turkey)
         (Germany)                         20.  Ruby Elizabeth Tabner (United
    10.  Tanvi Girotra (India)                  Kingdom)
    11.  Kartika Nurhayati (Indonesia)     21.  Judy Lee (United States of
                                                America)
    

The agenda for the week provides a broad range of presentations, discussions and information sessions. For complete details, go to: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2010/14/c4896.html.

    
    Wednesday, June 16, 2010
    ------------------------

        Opening Ceremonies
        The Honourable Belinda Stronach

        Opening Panel -- What is the greatest challenge facing girls and
        women today? What practical solution would you put in place to
        address the challenge you have identified?
           -  Pamela Shifman, NOVO Foundation; Swan Paik, Nike Foundation;
              Sarah Kambou, International Centre for Research on Women;
              Jill Sheffield, Women Deliver; Zainab Salbi, Women for Women
              International

        The Common Sense of Education Presentation and Q&A with Ndungu
        Kahilu, Plan Canada (Nairobi)

        Photo Opportunity -- G(irls)20 Delegates meet the Federal, Provincial
        and Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women

        The Economic Prowess of Girls & Women Presentation and Q&A with Reeta
        Roy, President, the Mastercard Foundation

    Thursday, June 17, 2010
    -----------------------

        Maternal & Child Health Presentation and Q&A featuring a screening of
        No Woman, No Cry
        Only pre-registered media will be granted access.

        G(irls)20 Summit Reception with Belinda Stronach. Only pre-registered
        media will be granted access.

    Friday, June 18, 2010
    ---------------------

        G(irls)20 Press Conference where the delegates will present the
        Summit Communiqué

    Saturday, June 19, 2010
    -----------------------

        Photo Opportunity: Physical activity session led by five-time
        Olympian, Charmaine Crooks

    Wednesday, June 23, 2010
    ------------------------

        Meeting with MPs and Senators hosted by Senator Frum and Speaker
        Senator LeBreton
    

A coalition of more than 23 national and international organizations is working with The Belinda Stronach Foundation on this worthy initiative. G(irls)20 is also generously supported by more than a dozen private sector partners including Aeroplan, Dove, Veritas Communications, MacroBlu and Google. Aeroplan will be donating thousands of Aeroplan Miles to fly the girls to the Summit in Toronto.

For more information please visit:

www.facebook.com/Girls20Summit

http://twitter.com/Girls20Summit

About 3.3 Billion Ways and the G(irls)20 Summit

Led by The Belinda Stronach Foundation, a coalition of national and international organizations has come together to raise awareness about the pivotal role girls and women play in ensuring economic productivity. Partners in the program include: Aeroplan, B5Media, Buck Productions, Canadian Crossroads International, Canadian Global Campaign for Education, Canadian Women's Foundation, Care Canada, Catalyst, CTV, Dove, Engineers without Borders, Free the Children, The Girl Effect, Girl Impact, The Globe and Mail, Google, International Center for Research on Women, Korean Women's Association United, Macro Blu, Make Poverty History, ONE, Oxfam Canada, Plan Canada, Right to Play, Save the Children, Standard Chartered, TakingITGlobal, The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, Veritas Communications, Virgin Unite, Vital Voices Global Partnership, War Child Canada, Women for Women International, Women's Executive Network & 889 Yonge.

For further information: about the G(irls)20 Summit, please visit www.girlsandwomen.com. For interview requests, please contact: Bryan Feheley, Veritas Communications, Cell: 647-330-3567, [email protected]; Jess Bennett, Veritas Communications, Cell: 416-844-4580, [email protected]