Equitas is delighted to share information with you about an innovative initiative being organized by the Belinda Stronach Foundation (BSF). The G(irls)20 Summit will be held in Paris from October 16th to 21st, 2011. It is an opportunity for young women from G20 countries to meet and discuss the importance of women’s participation in economic development and decision-making and make recommendations to global leaders who will be meeting in France the following week for the G8 and G20 summits. BSF is seeking applications from girls aged 18-20 from G20 countries and Equatorial Guinea who have demonstrated the capacity to be catalysts for change in their own communities. If you are working with groups of young women or know any young women who fit this description, kindly forward this link for the application form information about this event. Note that the deadline for applications is Friday, April 15th. Please note that the G20 includes: South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, India, China, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Canada, USA, Australia, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union. Delegates participate in panel discussions, attend workshops on subjects such as media relations, social media and business planning, and caucus to discuss and promote tangible, scalable solutions toward economic prosperity. The Summit will culminate in a delegate-led press conference and communiqué that provides a blueprint on how to utilize and engage one of the best resources in the world – girls and women. “By working together with the NGO community, corporate sector and other foundations we are giving a voice to 21 girls who have the opportunity to speak for the 3.3 billion girls and women around the world. And, what sets us apart from other events is that the delegates are required to return home to their communities and to put their Summit experience into action,” said Belinda Stronach, founder of The Belinda Stronach Foundation, the organization spearheading the Summit For more information, visit: http://www.girlsandwomen.com/girls20_summit-33.html