Premier Paula Cox joined scores of female leaders from around the world at a conference in Rome last week and gathered tips on forming a women’s foundation in Bermuda.The Finance Minister said the International Women’s Forum (IWF) World Cornerstone Conference was especially helpful to her in terms of networking and gaining useful information.“From a women’s perspective, this forum represents a wonderful opportunity to share ideas and discuss solutions about the global social, political, environmental and economic issues as a collective body,” she said.“I am very keen to return home and share aspects of the IWF conference. The information and discussions are timely and relevant.”Ms Cox, who hosted an event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in March, said attending the forum was an important step towards forming a local IWF chapter.“Ultimately, the aim is to have a Bermuda chapter formed which can be formally recognised at the upcoming October IWF Conference in Washington, DC.”About 700 women from across five continents participated in the conference, whose theme was Art Transforming the World.Ms Cox was one of about 70 female leaders from the public and private sector and was welcomed at the opening night reception by IWF President Allyson Maynard Gibson, a Progressive Liberal Party senator in the Bahamas.l Useful website: www.iwforum.org.