29/09/2026
💛 Letter of Thanks
One month ago, on 26–28 August, ÄND Women held its first international conference, Women Shaping the Future, in Tallinn. For years, we have travelled the world: Dubai, Helsinki, CapeTown, Zürich and Osaka. This time, the world came to us. In Tallinn, 23 speakers and guests from eight countries came together: Estonia, Japan, Switzerland, Finland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.
The conference built bridges. A friendship that began in Osaka a year ago became cooperation: the delegation from Osaka University and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry met Estonian entrepreneurs, researchers and city leaders, and visited e-Estonia, Nortal and the Tallinna linn | City of Tallinn to explore cooperation in digital health, startups and urban development. New connections were also made with guests from Switzerland, Finland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.
The conference left us with thoughts that still echo in your messages today. Margot Roose reminded us that change depends on who is in the room when decisions are made.
The cross-cultural panel summed up international business in one formula: people, relationships, trust, reputation, opportunities.
Inga Läänemets spoke of resilience as the ability to rise again, Hanna-Mari Tuovinen of digitalisation as an attitude, and Greg Grace of how fast AI is reshaping business.
Professor Hideko Nishioka saw in Estonia's digital state an example Japan can learn from, and Yoko Fujie left Tallinn with the goal of taking an international stage herself.
Dame Tessy Antony de Nassau left us with a question: What becomes possible because I was there? Our answer: friendship, cooperation and courage. Because of you, it wasn't just a conference. It was a reunion.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta-Ly Pakosta, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Riina Solman, Professor Hideko Nishioka of Osaka University, and Mirjam Loertscher, Trade Advisor of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Switzerland, who opened the conference and gave it its tone and dignity.
We thank all our speakers and moderators for their courage, wisdom and honesty, and our delegation from Osaka for travelling nearly 8,000 kilometres to be with us. We thank our partners, the City of Tallinn, AmCham Estonia, J3D.AI (Jedi) Labs·AI, Tiina Talumees Studio, BERRICHI SKINCARE, Öun Drinks and Mövenpick Hotel Tallinn, and our hosts, e-Estonia, Nortal and Business Tallinn.
We thank Paula Pugonen and Hiie Taks for the music.
We thank our organising team, Malle Post, Marko Post, Carmen Roots, Anne-Ly Ridal, Olivia Beilmann and Merite Liidemaa-Pärn, and every participant.
The journey continues. Our next stop is Paris.
Across generations, across nations – together.
With gratitude,
ÄND Women
ÄND Ärinaiste Delegatsioon MTÜ 💛
