High profile speakers such as US Congresswoman Diane Watson, attorney Cherie Booth, novelist Sara Peretsky and journalist Carol Jenkins have already drawn roughly 100 participants to the upcoming Women in Public Life conference.

With an ambitious slate of topics to be addressed ranging from world peace to balancing family and career, few women will be hard pressed to find something of interest in the event which will be held at the Hamilton Princess from October 17 to 20.

But men too are encouraged to attend the international conference which follows in the footsteps of the historic UN Women's Conference held in Beijing in 1995, Nigel Hickson of the organising committee said yesterday.

"We're definitely encouraging men to attends as well and we have Rev. Jesse Jackson speaking as well as several other men," he said.

Former Prime Minister of Luxembourg Markus Buchel, for example, will be joining Rev. Jackson and Dame Lois Browne-Evans on a panel discussing 'Women and Men in Partnership - The Way Forward'.

Mr. Hickson said the conference hoped to attract between 200 and 250 participants in total.

Early registration closes on Friday but Mr. Hickson said he expects there will be many late registrations and organisers intend to accept applications even as the conference is running.

Just last week, organisers added an 'a la carte' options for those who wish to attend only one event or day, he added.

"We have the complete package for $500 which includes the entire conference with a numbers of dinners and lunches," he said.

But those interested in the sessions more than the social aspects can attend all of these for $250.

One day registrations will also be available for $150 and some individual events are also on offer as single tickets such as Ms Booth's keynote speech at the conference's closing lunch ($75).

A full conference schedule can be viewed at www.womeninpubliclife.bm.

In announcing the prestigious conference last month organising committee chair and Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb noted said the conference aims to influence international bodies.

"The conference will, I firmly believe, be a milestone in the growing global understanding of the role of women, whether in politics, healthcare and medicine, education or in business," Minister Webb said.

"The conference will explore the role of women and how their unique talents can enhance the quality of life for all."