Women of the Future Marked the September Gathering
The traditional September Gathering of NALED members and partners, held for the 19th time at the White House, gathered around 1,000 guests from business, local self-governments, institutions, the international community and the diplomatic corps, and this year's gathering took place in the spirit of gender equality and economic empowerment of women, which NALED declared as the theme of the year.
The symbolic color of the evening was purple - the color of equal opportunities, dignity and resilience, and the common message about who the women of the future are was shaped by all those present choosing one word to describe them and thus creating a unique mosaic of values and ideals embodied in the slogan "Strong and important".
Opening Encounter: Unity as Strength
- Since its foundation, NALED has shown that equality is not just a word, but also a concrete action. Together, we abolished unnecessary barriers - from 86 papers for maternity benefits, to the introduction of equality in property registration. We fought for vulnerable groups, including women, to get a new chance through social entrepreneurship - said Vladislav Cvetković, the president of NALED's Managing Board, at the opening of the Gathering.
Although some progress has been made, the reality is that women in Serbia still face systemic inequalities compared to men. Only 45% of women are employed, compared to 58% of men and 70% of women in EU countries.
Ambassador and head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Andreas von Beckerat, reminded that gender equality is not only a moral obligation, but also a smart choice.
- If women and men participated equally in the economy, GDP per capita in the EU could increase by as much as 9.6% by 2050, which would turn into an economic gain of as much as 3.15 billion euros. Through programs such as EU PRO + and EU4Gender Equality, the EU directly invests in women entrepreneurs across Serbia, removing obstacles, breaking down stereotypes and opening the door to funding and progress - Beckerat said.
Those present were also greeted by NJ.K.V. Crown Prince Aleksandar II Karađorđević, who expressed his satisfaction that the White Palace is once again the meeting place of NALED and its members and partners.
- As this gathering has become a tradition, this time I will not say how important NALED's work is. It goes without saying now. I would rather focus on the topic you have dedicated this year's Gathering to, which is very well chosen. The fight for equal opportunities for all is a just and worthy cause, which should be supported. Women have contributed so much to the world we live in. It is not enough to say that they deserve the same conditions as men. It is right - they must have equal treatment and opportunities, from work to every other aspect of life - concluded Karađorđević.
Who are the women of the future?
The evening was completed by a special part of the Women of the Future program, in which the leaders of the international community, the administrative and program bodies of NALED, who by their example and personal commitment make a difference for all women and the entire society, participated.
On this occasion, the audience was addressed by five leaders from five sectors of society - Stanka Pejanović, director of Triglav International Serbia and vice president of NALED's Managing Board, H.E. Charlotte Samelin, ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden in Serbia, Bojana Tošić, director of the Republic Secretariat for Public Policy, PhD Nataša Lješković, dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Novi Sad and Vesna Đukić, general director of the Belgrade Open School. They presented the woman of the future as a free, equal partner, authentic and wise, and socially engaged.
The common vision of future women on stage was supported by H.E. Christine Melsom, Ambassador of Norway, H.E. Anne Lugon Moulin, Ambassador of Switzerland, H.E. Michelle Cameron, Ambassador of Canada, Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Caroline Ferguson and Nataša Radović in front of the British Embassy, Andrea Radonjić, Head of Regulatory and Public Policy Sector for Eastern Europe of Tetra Pak, Bojana Perić, General Director of Ekostar Pak, Branka Pudrlja Durbaba, Chief Director of Business Users, Diana Gligorijević, Co-Founder of TeleGroup, Dragana Čukić, Member of the Board of Directors of ACES, Dragana Ilić, director of the Corporate Affairs Sector, Dragana Vujko, Director of corporate affairs for Southeast Europe of Philip Morris International, Izabela Balint Markov from Zrepok, Lidija Leković, Founder of Leco, Marijana Vasilescu, General Director of MediGroup, Marjana Davidović, General Director of Nestlé in Serbia, Snežana Sofijanić, Head of Cooperation with Governments in Southeast Europe in Visa, Tamara Penjić, Executive Director of Carnex, Tanja Vukotić Marinković from APR, Tisa Čaušević, Public & Regulatory Affairs Manager Serbia & Montenegro in Coca Cola HBC.
The President of NALED's Managing Board, Vladislav Cvetković, thanked these exceptional women for their support of NALED and their willingness to engage for the benefit of the community.
Awarded for the Best Members of 2025
The finale of the evening was marked by the presentation of an annual award for the best members of NALED who made the greatest contribution to the work and results of the organization, by decision of the Board of Directors, and at the proposal of the Executive Office.
- In front of you is our executive team and as you can see NALED lives what it says - 70% of us are women who are there because they can and know how, not because they have to. These are exactly the ones you described as the women of the future. We will not wait for that future, but we will create it as before - said the executive director of NALED, Violeta Jovanović, who, together with other employees from the Executive Office, announced the Best Members for 2025.
The title of Local Leader category was taken by the mayor of Požarevac, Saša Pavlović, who, as one of the founders of the Club of Cities and Municipalities with a Favorable Business Environment (BFC Club), contributes to the improvement of conditions for economic development and the promotion of local investments. In the Business Leader category, the recognition went to Goran Kovačević, founder and chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Gomex company, for consistently advocating for fair competition and participating in the fight against the gray economy. The title of Sustainability Leader went to Marjana Davidović, the general director of Nestlé in Serbia, who confirms that female leadership is the driving force of modern society and through the Alliance for Food and Agriculture and the Alliance for Environmental Protection in NALED advocates for key reforms and the spread of good practices such as regenerative agriculture and ESG standards.
Partners and friends of the September Gathering
The organization of the September Gathering this year was supported by premium partners UniCredit Bank and Coca Cola HBC, companies that see the empowerment of women and local communities as their sustainability priorities.
The Gathering's partners were A1, the Accreditation Body of Serbia, AstraZeneca, Esotron, Heliant, Hyatt Regency hotel, NLB Komercijalna banka, Philip Morris International, City of Požarevac, Prointer system and Yandex Go.
Friends of the Gathering this year were Aigo, Apatinska pivara, Atlantic group, Ekostar Pak, Glovo, Lafarge and Nites. The "Strong and Important" project, which is implemented in cooperation with the British Embassy, supported the promotion of gender equality and female entrepreneurship at the Gathering. At the end of the evening, the guests took away gifts provided by the company dm. MediGroup was in charge of the health of the guests, and the Gathering vehicle was provided by Mercedes-Benz with its vehicles.
As part of the program, guests enjoyed the specialties of the Taste of Serbia prepared by Hyatt hotel chef Milan Čotra, along with authentic foods from nine cities and municipalities - Bela Palanka, Čačak, Kučevo, Mionica, Paraćin, Pirota, Smederevska Palanka, Vranje and Vrnjačka Banja, and traditional mantles from the restaurant Sve pod sač from Novi Pazar. The wine of the evening from the winery "100 women" was provided by the company Metro Cash & Carry.
