The Eurasian Women’s Forum kicked off today, Wednesday, in the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, with notable Arab participation from the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Libya.

The forum, which is in its fourth edition, will run until Friday, September 20, according to Valentina Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Federation Council.

Matviyenko noted that participants represent 126 countries and over 20 leading international organizations, marking a record number in the forum’s history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to deliver a speech to the attendees, while the forum will address topics related to building trust and global cooperation, as well as discussions on the impact of women and their participation in the economy, in addition to promoting women’s entrepreneurship.