Twenty five years after the inaugural Georgetown Women’s Forum at the Law Center, Georgetown University is expanding the Women’s Forum university-wide, to be held from May 2-4, 2018, at the InterContinental Washington, D.C. at The Wharf. Organized by the Georgetown University Alumni Association (GUAA) and Georgetown University Law Center, the forum will feature women leaders in law, business, government, technology, and the public sector to discuss substantive issues. Links to livestreams and other social media coverage will be made available through #GUWF18, the official hashtag of the event.

“This is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, when a highly diverse group of women are joining forces to demand equal opportunities and equal pay, and to prevent discrimination and sexual assault,” said Melanne Verveer, executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and formerly the nation’s first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues. “The Georgetown Women’s Forum will assemble our most notable alumnae from around the globe to share insights on significant issues facing women today, help address barriers to success, and empower the next generation to reach their full potential.”

In addition to a keynote address on women’s movements from alumna Sally Yates, panels will explore topics such as: inspiring women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); how to increase the numbers of women in the C-suite; women driving policy change for a more inclusive world; navigating one’s career path; disruptive alumnae changing their industries; how to run for office; women’s economic empowerment, and more.

Kicking off the Women’s Forum, Georgetown partnered with Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates to host a reception and debate the evening of May 2 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The topic for the debate is Negotiations Can Denuclearize North Korea. This is the first-ever all-women debate hosted by IQ2. The keynote conversation features journalist Suki Kim and debaters include:

Suzanne DiMaggio, Director, The U.S.-Iran Initiative & Senior Fellow, New America

Bonnie Jenkins (L’94), Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute & Former U.S. Ambassador, State Department

Sue Mi Terry, Former CIA Analyst & Senior Fellow, CSIS

Mira-Rapp Hooper, Senior Research Scholar, Yale University

Engaging Issues of Gender in a Global Context

Georgetown University is leading efforts to address issues of gender, with programs such as the Institute for Women, Peace and Security (Walsh School of Foreign Service), the International Women’s Human Rights Clinic (Law Center); and the Women’s Leadership Institute (McDonough School of Business). Georgetown is one of 10 impact champions recognized by the United Nations Women’s HeforShe campaign. Earlier this year, President John J. DeGioia announced the creation of a new task force to study and recommend ways to strengthen the university’s capacity to support and advance gender equity among its faculty and senior leadership.

In the classroom, programs such as the Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies give students the opportunity to explore gender dynamics globally, across multiple disciplines. Outside the classroom, Georgetown Women in International Affairs (GWIA) provides networks of resources for leadership development.

The Women’s Forum was created in the early 1990s by Georgetown University Law Center to discuss the challenges that women faced in the legal field, as well as to acknowledge the significant contributions that women were making to society.

The Georgetown University Alumni Association (GUAA) recently established Women of Georgetown to connect alumnae with each other and the university in order to cultivate the next generation of leaders through inspired, leadership-focused events and facilitated conversations showcasing alumnae pathways, stories, and successes.

Georgetown’s Jesuit identity and commitment to the global common good shape this engagement around gender issues and human rights more broadly.

To register and for more information on the Women’s Forum, visit https://womensforum.georgetown.edu/.

About Georgetown University

Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. Established in 1789, Georgetown is the nation’s oldest Catholic and Jesuit university. Georgetown today is a major student-centered, international, research university offering respected undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in Washington, D.C., Doha, Qatar, and around the world. For more information about Georgetown University, visit http://georgetown.edu.