COMMUNICATION IN A MODERN WORLD
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opening the Congress
On the 10th - 14th October 2004, we were privileged to host the 52nd FCEM Congress in Glasgow, Scotland. The theme of our Congress was “Communication in a modern world”, a very important subject in these troubled times.
As we all know, communication is more than just transmitting words through a voice box, a telephone handset or an email. It is about expression, body language, attitude, appearance, impressions, instinct, gesture, motion and emotion. And it fulfils a basic human need; the majority of us need to interact with one another face-to-face, person-to-person, and even hand-in-hand. By contrast, the most common form of punishment in the world is isolation.
Although technology has improved the speed and efficiency of communication in many ways, it has also detracted from its basic qualities, and inadvertently increased people’s isolation. So while it is now possible to personally send an email to a stranger across the world and in an instant, receive a reply, it is only two people sitting alone at a soulless computer, woman-to-machine, rather than face-to-face.
At the Congress we were face-to-face, ready to learn about each other, renew friendships and partnerships, do business with each other, but most of all communicate with each other. I knew that for many of the delegates English was not their mother tongue, with interpretation in French and Spanish although we had more numbers speaking Russian and Chinese, so with the help of interpreters, I explained our programme.
BAWE National President, Arline Woutersz outlined the programme for the next couple of days and introduced Madame Leyla Khaiat, the FCEM World President. Leyla welcomed the members and observer countries to the 52nd FCEM Congress, which marked an auspicious occasion for women entrepreneurs from all around the globe from diverse nations, languages and cultures to unite in dialog, experience and information sharing on a major topic of concern of our times, the Theme “Communication in a Modern World” evoking the myriad of aspects and forms of communication. She spoke about Scotland, where we have the opportunity and occasion to savour a land rich in historic and modern day influence and to create and develop friendships, partnerships and business opportunities with the women business owners of the region, together with the joyous occasion to be celebrating the Golden Anniversary of BAWE with our sister in enterprise from the United Kingdom. She thanked the members of BAWE for the wonderful opportunity which they offered and wished the Congress well. This was followed by an impressive flag ceremony of the 29 countries present.
The Congress was opened by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, Princess Royal Foundation For Carers.
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is a national charity (SCO15975), formed in 1991 at the initiative of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. The Trust exists to make it easier for carers to cope by providing information; support and practical help to carers. Delegates were asked to be aware that sometimes their employees would not divulge their personal problems but would need understanding if or when circumstances change in their lives and they become a carer. Statistics confirm that six million people in the UK and countless millions worldwide are carers. Caring affects people of all backgrounds and ages and yet the role of the carer is often misunderstood and the needs of the carer go unnoticed.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal meeting some of the Australian delegation
Princess Anne then stayed to meet the leading members of FCEM and especially the British and Commonwealth members. We received a wonderful letter of thanks from her Lady in Waiting, Celia Innes from Buckingham Palace 13th October, 2004.
“The Princess Royal has asked me to write and thank you for inviting her to open the International Congress of Les Femmes Chefs d’Enterprises Mondiales and for making the Princess Royal Trust for Carers your charity.
Her Royal Highness was very grateful for the generous cheque you presented to her, it will be put to very good use. Her Royal Highness loved having the chance to meet so many delegates and found her conversations very stimulating and interesting. The Princess Royal hopes the Congress has been a success and was thrilled to be part of it for a short time.”
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