Speaker Gallery

Women’s International Forum

Past Speakers

The Women’s International Forum has welcomed distinguished speakers—from UN officials to global changemakers—who’ve addressed key topics like sustainable development, human rights, and international cooperation. Explore highlights from past events below.

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Dr. Stewart Simonson

WHO Representative at the United Nations and Head of Office
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Dr. Arthur L. Caplan

Founding Head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health, New York City
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H.E. Mr. Burhan Gafoor

Permanent Representative of Singapore to the UN
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H.E. Ms. Inga Rhonda King

Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the UN
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H.E. Mr. Filipo Tarakinikini

Permanent Representative of Fiji to the UN
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H.E. Mr. Volker Türk

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
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H.E. Mr. Neville Melvin Gertze

Permanent Representative of Namibia
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H.E. Ms. Anna Karin Eneström

Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations
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Ms. Michèle Griffin

Director of the Summit of the Future for UN Secretary-General António Guterres
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H.E. Mr. Tareq Albanai

Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations and Co-Chair of IGN on Security Council Reform
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H.E. Mr. Alexander Marschik

Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations and Co-Chair of IGN on Security Council Reform
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Mr. Richard Gowan

Director of UN and Multilateral Diplomacy at Crisis Group
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Dr Felipe Paullier

UN Assistant-Secretary-General for Youth Affairs
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Sinead Bovell

Founder of WAYE
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Alya Al -Thani

Sheikha Ambassador: Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN
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Ms. Pat Furlong

Founding President and CEO of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)
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H. E. Ms. Fatima Kyari Mohammed

Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations
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Dr. Bernice Pan

Designer, Entrepreneur, Advocate and Founder of DEPLOY
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H.E. Sun Xueling

Minister of State for Social & Family Development, Singapore
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H.E. Maria-Alexandra Kefala

Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion & Family, Greece
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H.E. Ayanna Webster-Roy

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister – Gender and Child Affairs, Trinidad & Tobago
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Ms. Melissa Kubvoruno

Civil Society Youth Representative, Zimbabwe
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Sylvie Kauffmann

Editorial Director and Columnist of Le Monde
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Ms. Pramila Patten

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
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Adjunct Professor Keiko Honda

Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs
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Ms. Maria-Noel Vaeza Baque

Regional Director of UN Women for the Americas and the Caribbean
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Colonel Matthew Bogdanos

Chief, Antiquities Trafficking Unit, NY County District Attorney’s Office
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Ms Jayathma Wickramanayake

UN Sec-Gen’s Envoy on Youth
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H.E. Ambassador Isabelle Picco

Ambassador of Monaco, Co-Chair of the UN Group of friends of Sport for Development and Peace
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Ms. Jennifer Cooper

UN Women who works with the IOC and FIFA
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Ms. Reyna Pacheco

Professional squash player and US National Team Member
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Ms. Ashley Bernard

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Board Member
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Mona Ali Khalil

Public International Lawyer and Founder and Director, Mak Law International Strategic Consulting Service
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Ms. Enid Muthoni Ndiga

Chief Program Officer, Center for Reproductive Rights
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Ms Maimunah Mohd Sharif

Executive Director, UN Habitat
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Gillian Sorensen

Member of the United Nations Foundation's Global Leadership Council, the Council on Foreign Relations and Board member of the International Rescue Committee
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Ms. Harshani Dharmadasa

Senior Director UN Foundation
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Ms. Anita Dywaba

UN Foundation Next Generation Fellow
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Diane Von Furstenberg

Designer, Philanthropist, Author
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Ms. Lisa Buttenheim

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General
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Ms. Catalina Garcia

No job title available.

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Ms. Beata Stylianos

No job title available.

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Mr. Conor Bohan

No job title available.

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Ms. Stephanie Rubin

No job title available.

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Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu

UN Under Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
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Dr Comfort Ero

President and CEO of the International Crisis Group
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Dr. Naoko Muramatsu

Professor, Division of Community Health Sciences at the School of Public Health and Fellow at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago
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H.E. Robert Keith Rae

Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
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H.E. Mrs Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad

Minister of Social Development and Family of the State of Qatar
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H.E. Ambassador Mathu Joyini

Ambassador of South Africa to the United Nations, Chair of the United Nations Commission
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H.E. Rania Dagash-Kamara

Assistant Executive Director, World Food Program
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Ms Angelica Jacome

Director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office to the United Nations in New York
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H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed

Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
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Professor Lynn Meskell

Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor; Professor of Historic Preservation, Weitzman School of Design; Middle East and Asia Sections Curator, Penn Museum
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Professor Patty Gerstenblith

Distinguished Research Professor of Law at DePaul University and Director of its Center for Art, Museum, and Cultural Heritage Law