Representatives of the Association of Business Women in Serbia at the IPLE Meeting of the WOMEX Project in Barcelona

Representatives of the Association of Business Women in Serbia at the IPLE Meeting of the WOMEX Project in Barcelona

10.10.2025.

Organized by the project’s lead partner ACCIÓ – Agència per la Competitivitat de l’Empresa, the IPLE partner meeting of the project WOMEX – The Role of Women in the Competitiveness of Export-Oriented SMEs was held in Barcelona on October 8–9, 2025, within the framework of the Interreg Europe Programme, supported by the European Union. The meeting gathered representatives of nine partner organizations from six countries — Spain, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, Austria, and Hungary — as well as stakeholders from participating countries, including the team from Serbia.

The Association of Business Women in Serbia, one of the project partners, was represented by Dragana Panajotović, Executive Director, Sonja Pecelj, Financial Manager, and Jelena Vujičić, Office Manager. The second Serbian partner, the Regional Agency for Development and European Integration Belgrade (RADEI), was represented by Ivana Bojanić Buser, while two stakeholder representatives from the City of Belgrade Secretariat for the Economy, Mirjana Bogdanović and Milanka Stepanović, also attended the event.

The first day of the meeting, held at Tech Barcelona – Pier 01, was dedicated to networking among partners and stakeholders. Following the introductory presentations of partners and their regional collaborators, participants had the opportunity to learn about good practice examples from Catalonia — the LIDERA programme, supporting women’s professional development, and the FIDEM Female Role Models Programme, which promotes a network of women entrepreneurs and leaders with international experience.

Later that day, a workshop was held on mechanisms for implementing public policies related to the project’s objectives, followed by a SWOT analysis of the challenges and opportunities in integrating gender perspectives into public policies. The session was led by Sara Berbel, PhD, a renowned Catalan expert in gender equality and women’s leadership. After recording a promotional video for the WOMEX project, participants enjoyed an informal networking dinner at the restaurant Pez Vela, sharing experiences and strengthening cooperation among partners.

The second day was devoted to a panel discussion on “Women and Internationalization” at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), featuring inspiring stories about gender equality and competitiveness in the export sector. The panelists were Sílvia Bach, CEO of Motocard and President of WOMEN, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY OBSERVATORY; Valeria Rodríguez Felgueras, Europe Growth and Engagement Manager, WEConnect International; and Sandra Ezquerra, Director of the UNESCO Chair on Women, Development, and Cultures at the University of Vic. The discussion was moderated by Cristina Serradell, Director of the International Business Unit at ACCIÓ. The programme concluded with a study visit to Fundació Sorli, a private foundation dedicated to promoting gender equality in the Catalan business environment. During the visit, partners were introduced to the foundation’s training, research, and support programmes, which aim to prevent gender-based violence and foster inclusive workplaces.

Thanks to the excellent organization and hospitality of the host, ACCIÓ, participants left the IPLE meeting enriched with new experiences and valuable connections that will certainly contribute to the successful implementation of the WOMEX project.