Melania Trump to launch ‘IMPERIA’ during UN General Assembly week: Why women CEOs are at the center of it | Today’s news
Melania Trump is gearing up for one of her most visible stretches of public engagement this year, with the US first lady expected to spend September 22-25 shuttling between New York and Washington.
The launch of IMPERIA by Melania Trump and a busy week at the UN General Assembly
Central to the plan is the launch of IMPERIA, a new forum focused specifically on women in top management. The initiative will be unveiled on September 23, when Melania is scheduled to ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange.
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The IMPERIA Forum aims to support women in business leadership by helping them build business relationships, influence policy and collaborate across sectors.
Melania Trump will launch IMPERIA on September 23, 2025 on the New York Stock Exchange.
The invitation-only nature of IMPERIA focuses on a select group of senior executives, increasing the opportunity for meaningful connections and discussions among powerful women.
IMPERIA aligns with Melania Trump’s broader interests by highlighting women’s leadership in business alongside her technology and education initiatives, particularly through its Fostering the Future Together program.
IMPERIA seeks to address the challenges faced by women CEOs by leveraging their collective influence to engage in critical business and policy discussions and foster cross-sector collaboration.
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The details were revealed exclusively to USA Today by her senior adviser Marc Beckman, who described IMPERIA as a platform where women CEOs and C-suite leaders can build business relationships, move capital, influence policy and collaborate across industries. He called it “Davos for women”.
The forum is expected to be invitation-only and will focus on a relatively small group of executives rather than a broad public conference. Its stated purpose is to bring together women decision-makers in business and create opportunities for them to work across sectors.
Listing on the NYSE also gives the initiative a distinctly business-focused environment. For Melania, the look juxtaposes female leadership in society with her broader interest in technology, education and economic opportunity.
Why women CEOs are in the spotlight
IMPERIA is presented as more than just a networking event. According to Beckman, the goal of the initiative is to use the collective influence of women leaders to facilitate business, investment and policy discussions.
This focus is significant because Melania’s public work in her second term has also increasingly intersected with technology and the future workforce.
Launched at the United Nations in September 2025, her Fostering the Future Together initiative focuses on children’s education, technology and online safety. The White House says the coalition brings together first spouses and governments with technology companies to expand access to educational technology while protecting children from online dangers.
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In March 2026, Melania hosted the initiative’s first global coalition summit, which brought together representatives from 45 countries and 28 technology companies. Discussions focused on artificial intelligence in education, digital literacy, educational technology and online protection.
Fostering the Future at the United Nations
On September 22, Melania will promote Fostering the Future Together during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York.
The event is to be held at the St Regis Hotel and will be attended by representatives from 57 member countries along with participants from the technology sector. According to the September 18 White House recommendation, the program will include new member countries and strategic partnerships with technology companies.
The initiative has grown considerably since Melania introduced it at the United Nations in 2025. Its stated goal is to connect governments and the private sector on children’s access to education and technology, while also addressing safety in digital spaces.
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This makes the proximity of the two events in September remarkable: one focused on preparing children for an increasingly technology-driven future, while the other focuses on women already in leadership positions in business.
Xi Jinping’s state visit follows
The high-profile week will then move from New York’s business and diplomatic circles to the White House.
On September 24, Melania is expected to join President Donald Trump in welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan for an official state visit. According to Beckman, Melania personally oversaw elements of the visit, including preparations for the state dinner and private engagements.
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The visit comes as Washington and Beijing continue discussions on trade, technology and other areas of tension. Reuters reported that Trump and Xi are expected to discuss issues including trade talks, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, Taiwan and fentanyl precursor shipments.
The week is scheduled to end on September 25, when both couples are expected to visit the National Archives to view the Declaration of Independence.
For Melania, the four-day schedule brings together three distinct areas of her public role: children’s technology and education, women’s leadership in business, and the ceremonial duties that accompany a major state visit.
However, the new addition will be IMPERIA. Her NYSE listing will focus primarily on women CEOs and executives and the idea of creating a dedicated network for women with influence in business and politics.
