The meeting participants from Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and South Caucasus stayed at a Study Centre in the Swedish archipelago to meet with new members of the network, to introduce the Network goals and activities as well as to meet with activists and professionals who expressed their preparedness to share experience of networking, activism, feminism, etc.

The agenda of the meeting was rather interesting. After discussing and clarifying the concept of activism, participants were invited to form small groups to discuss the activism and its importance within the Young Women’s Network.

International guest from Kosovo Women’s Network, Igballe Rogovo talked about the networking, their hard experience during conflict period and the importance of the joint actions. Her speech was very impressive and sincere. Participants addressed her many question related to network formation, its functioning and sustainability.

Workshops on CEDAW, Human Trafficking and Project development were also held during the meeting.

Particular interest was given to the guest from Amnesty International, Mats Engman who presented key elements of public actions and brought examples of several public actions by explaining the reasons of their success or failure. The Network participants became very interested in the topic and addressed a number of questions to the guest from Amnesty International. Inspired by the speech of the guest, the Network members decided to make an action in Stockholm to raise the awareness on the Network in South Caucasus and to speak out that women from South Caucasus are for peace and equality. Special permission to conduct one-hour action in Stockholm was provided with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation that backed up the Network activities from the first dates of its formation.

At the last days of the meeting, the members reconsidered Network mission, its structure as well as roles and responsibilities of the members. They also discussed further actions and joint project ideas to be implemented in the future.
The members parted with full conviction to work within the network in order to increase visibility of young women in their countries, to develop a solid partnership between various organizations as well as to improve communication and increase dialogue opportunities through the establishment of national and regional networks of women involved in peace building.