During the discussion, Minister Fajon thanked the representatives of the Israeli and Palestinian peace organisations for their outstanding work and underlined Slovenia's strong support for all efforts and initiatives for peace in the Middle East. "Today, on International Women's Day, we are not hosting women politicians, negotiators or leaders in Slovenia, who are co-decision-makers on the Israeli and Palestinian sides of war and peace. We are hosting women who, against all odds, have raised their voices for peace and, despite all the loss and pain in their communities, have reached out to one another in desire of the well-being of all. This clearly shows that it is possible to work together despite different backgrounds, faiths or beliefs. These women share a genuine human desire for a future of peace, freedom and equality, with rights and security for their children and for generations to come."

"I really wish that women were more involved in decisions about war and peace. The fact is that when women are involved in such decisions, crises are less likely to turn violent because women are more likely to engage in dialogue, to build bridges, to build coalitions and to raise issues that are essential to peace. This is what is urgently needed today," said the Minister.

"Minister Fajon explained to her guests that women and gender equality are among the key priorities of Slovenia's foreign policy and that Slovenia strongly supports the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, including in the UN Security Council. "As a member of the UN Security Council, Slovenia will endeavour to ensure that women are equally represented among the rapporteurs on situations on the agenda of this body. Although the importance of women's full, equal and meaningful participation in peace efforts has been repeatedly mentioned, it is still sorely lacking in many conflicts around the world, including in the Middle East. Sadly, women are not equally represented among decision-makers on either side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Now is the time to change this. I hope that today’s event and similar examples of cooperation will inspire us all to work better and more together."

Slovenia is constantly striving to support NGOs through development aid, including for women, who are an important element of peace. Last year, Slovenia set up a development fund that can be used by Slovenian diplomatic missions around the world to support projects such as those carried out by our guests. Today, the Official Gazette published a call for proposals for the implementation of development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects for the 2024–2026 term, focusing on humanitarian projects in support of the Palestinian civilian population. The projects will be implemented in the Palestinian Territories, i.e. in the Gaza Strip and/or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, or in neighbouring countries, and will target the Palestinian civilian population, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable groups, especially children.

In the evening, Minister Fajon will open a roundtable discussion "Women in Pursuit of Peace in the Middle East" with representatives of both peace organisations. They will present the peace organisations and the goals they have set together. They will also share their life stories, their experiences of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and their desire for peace. They will talk about how we can help them to achieve this. They will launch a joint petition, 'Mothers’ Call', urging for a solution to the Middle East conflict and supporting efforts to protect the lives of children on both sides.