Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Royal United Service Institute, London, UK

Description: “As Iran’s regime continues to provoke international debate, the country is going through one of the darkest moments in history with respect to human rights and, in particular, women’s rights. This event showcased the long tradition of Iranian women’s leadership and the diversity of ways women inside Iran and in the diaspora have been committed to women’s rights.”

The 2019 Honorees are Mahnaz Afkhami, First Iranian Minister for Women’s Affairs (1975 – 1978) and Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate and Human Rights Champion.

Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security, Nazenin Ansari, Managing Editor of Kayhan London, and Shéhérazade Semsar de Boisséson, CEO of POLITICO Europe, cordially invite you to a celebration of Iranian Women’s Leadership.

Additional speakers include Executive Director of Justice for Iran, Shadi Sadr, BBC representative, Pooneh Ghoddosi and Lawyer and Human Rights advocate, Leila Alikarami.

Georgetown University Institute for Women, Peace and Security’s International Trailblazer Award was created to acknowledge individuals who are creating a more peaceful, equitable, and safe world and who, through their leadership, demonstrate that women are agents of change. Past Institute awardees include Lady Catherine Ashton, EU Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nobel laureates Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, former Foreign Secretary of UK William Hague, Zainab Bangura, UN Envoy Stefan de Mistura, and the women leaders of the Colombia peace process, among others.

The award ceremony and remarks will be livestreamed and later archived for future viewing.