International Women's Coffee Alliance

SAVE THE DATE
Women In Coffee International Conference
Orosi, Costa Rica October 23 - 25 2008
All women in the coffee industry, from seed to cup are invited to gather in Costa Rica for two days of training, mentorship, networking and fun. The Theme of this conference is Coffee from Hands to Hearts and provides a variety of hands-on training; classroom learning and optional farm tours.

The goals of this conference are to:

ü Increase attendees coffee knowledge from seed to cup: This conference will give attendees the opportunity to learn about aspects in the coffee industry outside of their specific area of expertise. Seminars will focus on topics such as coffee in the marketplace, roaster/grower relationship building, the mechanics of cupping and coffee production.

ü Promote lasting mutually beneficial relationships: A key differentiator of Women in Coffee is that along with the quality of life projects we support we are also a professional organization seeking to connect coffee professionals through networking events. We will feature several networking/social events and will offer scholarship programs to help ensure that we are connecting coffee professionals from diverse sectors of the industry.

ü Expose attendees to Best Practices in business, production, and sustainability.

Thank you for visiting The International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) website. The IWCA is a legally recognized nonprofit organization of women and men in the coffee industry, working together to achieve our mission to "empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry."

Worth $60 billion annually, coffee is the world's second largest traded commodity after oil, with 25 million people growing it in 50 countries on some 30 million acres. Women are a fundamental part of this production, but often have little economic, social or political power in this process or in their communities. Women in consuming countries also hold important responsibility for ensuring the success of coffee in the marketplace through positions in coffee roasting companies, import companies, and retail coffee shops, among others.

Through International Chapter development and funding, networking opportunities, and mentorship and training programs, the IWCA strives to acknowledge, elevate, and connect women in coffee around the world.

We appreciate your interest in our organization and we invite you to explore our site for opportunities to join, to donate, and to volunteer.

For general questions and inquiries, please e-mail:mailto:mail@womenincoffee.org