On Friday, March 8, 2019, millions of women (and many men) gathered around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day. We are grateful everyone gathered to promote equality and respect for women. We believe that women, their power, their diversity and their potential should be celebrated every day. Over a million people in Europe took part in the first such event on March 19, 1911 (In 1913, the permanent date was set at March 8). Naturally, the International University of Grand-Bassam and the IUGB Foundation each participated in International Women’s Day events.
In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the International University of Grand-Bassam (IUGB) hosted five panelists from the NGO “Jeunesse Feminine Active:” President Mariam Doumbouya, Ms. Julie Reimder Beda, Director IUGB UPP Program, Ms. Frederique Mariele Allou and Ms. Celine Elaine Kouassi, IUGB Faculty Members, and Ms. Ramatou Coulibaly Gauze, IUGB Director of Finance and Administration for its second IUGB panel presentation. Featured themes were “Empowering Women’s Lives” and “Boost the Female Potential.”
Professor Ahmed Legrouri, IUGB’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, opened the panel and noted most of the best graduates that the school has registered since its inception are young women and that last semester’s results show a clear advance of IUGB’s female students. Participants shared experiences, orientation and advice to the audience of IUGB students. Ms. Doumbouya reminded the audience that the March 8 date should not be perceived de facto as a day of rejoicing, but as a window to evaluate the progress of women’s status around the world. A lively question-answer session followed.
Meanwhile in Atlanta, Georgia, Denise Berry, development officer of the IUGB Foundation, attended the Atlanta World Affairs Council’s (WAC) Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead. The WAC announced its inaugural World #LeaderHERship series, a convening platform on women’s leadership and professional development.
The theme of the breakfast was “Think Equal. Build Smart. Innovate for Change.” and featured three key industry speakers who shared their organizations’ advances to women’s rights: Naima Judge, Managing Director & Market Investment Executive, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management; Laura Lane, President, Global Public Affairs UPS, and Rickey Bevington, Senior Anchor/Correspondent, Georgia Public Broadcasting (Event Moderator). Bank of America and ACGO sponsored this very well-attended event.