Ashli Boxley’s quest to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese began in sixth grade, when she enrolled in a Chinese language course that led to her resolve to master this challenging language, which requires, at minimum, a knowledge of about 3,000 characters and an ear for the different intonations that determine the meaning of many Chinese words.
“Everyone was taking Spanish or French, so I decided to take Chinese,” Boxley said.
By her sophomore year of high school, she was passionate about the language. Consequently, while studying for her graduate degree in Asian Studies, Boxley leapt at the chance to apply for a new student award, the David Gitter Fellowship for Advanced Chinese Language Study. The fellowship was established by Elliott School alumnus David Gitter, MA ’15, to support immersive Chinese language study in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) or Taiwan.
Gitter, who lived and studied in Beijing in the early 2000s, saw first-hand how essential proficiency in the Chinese language is to a full understanding of this major world power—an understanding that lays the foundation for informed U.S.-China policies.
Dean Alyssa Ayres wholeheartedly agrees with Gitter. “Given China’s role on the world stage, there is a critical need to strengthen our cadre of U.S. experts who understand contemporary China—and are proficient in Mandarin,” she said.
In April, Boxley, who dreams of becoming an attorney focused on immigration law and US-China relations, was selected to be the inaugural recipient of the David Gitter Fellowship. From September 2024 through May 2025, she will be a fulltime student in the highly-regarded International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) on the campus of National Taiwan University in Taipei.
In a twist of fate, David Gitter also will be an ICLP student, honing his Chinese language skills in conjunction with his doctoral program at Princeton University.
The two met recently for a conversation about their shared passion for Chinese language, culture, history, and politics. Gitter had experienced life in the PRC during a time of expansion and openness. “It was such a dynamic time to be in Beijing, just before the 2008 Summer Olympics, a time when U.S. citizens were part of the boom in China’s development,” he said.
In more recent times, the U.S.-China relationship has stumbled, with a shift away from the more positive, bilateral ties that prevailed earlier in the century. Yet there are diplomatic pathways to a renewed and productive relationship between the two world powers.
Fortunately, David Gitter and Ashli Boxley (along with others) are poised to take up the mantle with a command of the modern Chinese language and a nuanced understanding of China’s long history, rich culture, and complex politics.
Exploring Postcolonial Statecraft and Anti-Blackness in Trinidad
Leniqueca Welcome, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, was awarded a 9-month Kluge Fellowship from the Library of Congress to work on her book manuscript.
Dr. Welcome is a multimodal anthropologist and designer from Trinidad and Tobago. Her research and teaching interests are postcolonial statecraft, racialization, gendering, securitization, visuality, and affect. Her work combines more traditional ethnographic methods with photography and collage.
The Kluge Center at the Library of Congress supports interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences. Scholars in various fields can access extensive collections, including the world’s largest law library and diverse materials like manuscripts, maps, music, films, and more. Established in 2000 with a $60 million endowment from John W. Kluge, its Fellows have gone on to achieve notable academic success and public recognition, making lasting contributions as public intellectuals.Twelve Kluge Fellowships are awarded annually. The fellowship will enable Welcome to focus on her first book manuscript, which examines criminalization and the operation of colonial technologies of anti-blackness over space and time in Trinidad.
Welcome’s writing can also be found in venues such as Small Axe: A Caribbean Journal of Criticism, Multimodality & Society, and Cultural Anthropology.
About: Leniqueca Welcome received her Ph.D. in cultural anthropology with certificates in urban studies and experimental ethnography from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Prior to starting her Ph.D. program, she was trained as an architect at the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and worked at ACLA architecture (a design firm in Trinidad) until 2015.
The Sigur Center for Asian Studies recently collaborated with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative’s Office in the US (TECRO) on a photo exhibition celebrating 45 years of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) entitled “TRA@45”. The exhibit launched on May 7th with a panel discussion on the Taiwan Relations Act featuring the Taiwan Representative to the United States, Ambassador Alexander Tah-ray Yui.
Enacted on April 10, 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act authorized the United States to maintain substantive relations with Taiwan after the U.S. switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. It allows the U.S. to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and support for its self-defense and states that any threat to Taiwan’s security is of grave concern to the U.S.
The act emphasizes that any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means is a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area.
2024 marks the 45th anniversary of this landmark legislation, and TECRO has organized the TRA@45 exhibition of photographs to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the enduring friendship that Taiwan and the United States have built over the past four decades.
Two Elliott School programs received prestigious awards from the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), a global network comprising 40 leading schools of international affairs. The Generations Dialogue Project (GDP) won the 2024 APSIA Inclusion Award for Community Building, while the Data Literacy Initiative (DAPP) received the Innovation Award for Professional Development Programming.
Notably, the Elliott School was the only school to win multiple accolades.
The Generations Dialogue Project aims to increase diversity in the foreign policy field by connecting young people with giants who blazed a trail in international affairs. Peer-led intergenerational dialogues address anxieties that may prevent younger generations from pursuing these careers, with candid sharing of experiences and life lessons beyond career achievements.
Jennifer Brinkerhoff, professor of public administration and international affairs at George Washington University who leads the Generations Dialogue Project, reflected, “It has been such an honor to engage with so many amazing students and giants of international affairs who shared so generously and personally to support the next generation. I am deeply gratified that APSIA recognizes the importance of this type of engagement.”
GW’s Data Literacy Initiative also earned top honors from APSIA for equipping current and future policymakers with cutting-edge data analytics skills. The innovative program bridges the gap between data science and traditional policy analysis to revolutionize policymaking in today’s information-rich world. Data Analytics for Policy Professionals (DAPP) is a program for professionals of all ages and career stages. Its curriculum was developed in consultation with federal agencies including the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Labor, the Foreign Service Institute, and the National Security Council, as well as think tanks and industry leaders such as fp21 and GDIT. The ability to bridge data skills with job-specific knowledge is increasingly in demand across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Laila Sorurbakhsh, assistant dean of academic programs, assistant professor of international affairs and director of online education who co-directed the initiative, said, ”I am thrilled that the Data Analytics for Policy Professionals program has been honored with APSIA’s 2024 Innovation Award! I am immensely proud of the collaborative efforts of my co-director, Emmanuel Teitelbaum, Chris Markiewicz, assistant director of academic programs, our exceptional students, and our dedicated instructors. Together, they embody a spirit of innovation and excellence here at GW.”
Alumni and students of the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University gathered on Thursday evening to celebrate the school’s 125th anniversary and its commitment to teaching and researching international affairs while preparing countless students for impactful careers in diplomacy and related global fields.
Celebrators gathered Thursday in the City View Room on the top floor of the school with its panoramic view of the city’s monuments. The room was decorated with buff and blue balloons and poster boards that told the history of the school.
GW President Ellen M. Granberg kicked off the event, thanking attendees for gathering to commemorate the milestone in the school’s history.
“As the world has changed over the last 125 years, the study of international affairs at GW has kept pace, evolving into an expansive, multidisciplinary organization that draws from a wide range of disciplines,” Granberg said. “Today, we are adapting to new challenges in the international arena, pushing boundaries in emerging disciplines and preparing the next generation of leaders and change-makers for an increasingly complex global stage.”
Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School, said the school has continued to be a strong force in teaching global issues firmly rooted in engaging with policy and striving for impact.
“For 125 years we have continuously adapted to new challenges, all while preparing our students for an increasingly diverse set of careers,” Ayres said. “The majority of our students, undergraduate as well as graduate, now go on to careers in the private sector and nongovernmental organizations, even as the call of public service remains an important pathway for many. As the world becomes more complex, the emphasis we place on practice, fostering international dialogue and shaping policy solutions, prepares our graduates for whatever they will encounter.”
The Elliott School was established in 1898 as the School of Comparative Jurisprudence with an enrollment number of 90 students. The school’s focus on international law attracted prominent faculty such as Associate Supreme Court Justices John M. Harlan and David J. Brewer. After enrollment began to drop, in 1905, the institution was renamed the School of Politics and Diplomacy (SPD) for two years. In 1907, SPD was replaced by the College of the Political Sciences which held its last commencement in June of 1913. For the next 15 years, international affairs programs were transferred to the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, where a focus was still placed on preparing students for foreign and public service.
Through the years, the school underwent several more name changes, then in 1987, the institution was renamed to School of International Affairs and worked to become a prominent leader in international affairs education. In 1988, the school was named the Elliott School to honor former GW President Lloyd H. Elliott and his wife Evelyn E. Elliott. Over the past 125 years, the school has served as a hub for discussions on significant international developments and continues its commitment to teaching and researching international affairs.
Marshall Parke, B.A. ’76, and Jenna Segal, B.A. ’98, the co-chairs of the Elliott School Board of Advisors, took to the podium to share how being alumni of the school prepared them for fulfilling careers.
“I came to GW in 1974,” Parke said. That was 50 years ago. And I came because I wanted a life involved in world affairs.”
He shared some of his favorite memories from his time at GW, including interning on Capitol Hill and experiencing historic moments including President Richard Nixon’s impeachment just steps from the White House. Parke said even after leaving GW, being an alumnus of the school continued to open many doors for him well into his career.
“It’s been a great road for an amazing 50 years of being a GW alumnus,” Parke said.
Segal said she credits the Elliott School for exposing her to the interconnectedness of international relations and the art world and equipping her with the skills to become a global cultural ambassador and advocate for positive change through art.
“I’m proud to call myself an Elliott School alumna and on behalf of the Elliott School Board of Advisors, cheers to 125 years of international affairs education at GW, may our legacy continue for many generations to come,” Segal said.
Rose Gottemoeller, M.A. ’81, the first woman and second American to serve as deputy secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), spoke about why she’s proud to be a graduate of GW.
Gottemoeller said she’s dedicated her career to working in policy, primarily focused on arms control and nuclear nonproliferation.
“I am grateful for the way that GW prepared me for life as a practitioner,” Gottemoeller said. “If it hadn’t been for the education that I received in my master’s program at George Washington University, I would not have the skill sets that I needed to succeed in the way I’ve been able to succeed. So I’ve been very grateful to the university over the years and very happy to have these relationships in latter years and the opportunity to meet so many talented young students.”
Elliott School’s Susan Ariel Aaronson, CCAS’s Alexa Alice Joubin and SMPA’s David Karpf comprise the university’s inaugural PIT Scholars cohort.
Authored by: Ruth Steinhardt
The George Washington University introduced its Public Interest Technology (PIT) Scholars program this week, supported by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the study and application of technology that advances the public good by recognizing and empowering scholars contributing to that work. Three GW faculty members were named to the inaugural PIT Scholars cohort:
David Karpf, associate professor of media and public affairs in the School of Media and Public Affairs.
As PIT Scholars, Aaronson, Joubin and Karpf will facilitate cross-disciplinary research and teaching, seek new collaborations at GW and beyond and deliver a university-wide lecture. Their work also will raise awareness of the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), of which GW has been a member since 2020.
“GW faculty can play an important role in facilitating technology in the public interest through research, education and service,” Vice Provost for Research Pamela Norris said. “In fact, there are many opportunities for GW to combine our historical strengths in fields like law, policy and international affairs with technology innovation to grow a new generation of civic-minded technologists and digitally fluent policymakers.”
At the PIT Scholars launch event in Science and Engineering Hall Wednesday afternoon, faculty from a range of disciplines gathered to discuss the definition of PIT, the opportunities and challenges its development presents and how to stimulate the collaboration necessary to promote it. Each of the three scholars gave a brief presentation on their ongoing PIT-related projects, as did Zoe Szajnfarber, director of strategic initiatives for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and professor of engineering management and systems engineering, and of space policy. Jack Goodman, a senior associate at government relations firm Lewis-Burke Associates, also presented on the range of federal funding available for PIT-related initiatives.
PIT is almost inherently interdisciplinary, speakers suggested, depending as it does on a variety of perspectives regarding both what the “public interest” or “civic good” actually is and also how a given product or initiative could affect that interest. Technology developed from a single disciplinary viewpoint, even with the best of intentions, may have unintended but major consequences in another arena.
Aaronson encouraged attendees to be “Johnny Appleseeds,” spreading the word about PIT and its potential in their own departments, and reminded the audience that TRAILS—the stated mission of which is to ensure the participation of diverse stakeholders in AI development so that future AI systems enhance human capacity, respect human dignity and protect human rights—opens its 2024 application season in April. “We are really eager to see proposals from people in departments that are traditionally underrepresented,” she said.
Karpf, currently on sabbatical, is working on a book based on his reading of the entire back catalogue of “Wired” magazine. Digital boosterism can have a distorting effect, he said, leading public enthusiasm—and research, in its wake—from one big idea to the next without evaluating the impact of previous zeitgeists. “I want to capture some sense of the stories that we tell ourselves about how our technologies change the world, and what we can learn from looking at contemporaneous predictions,” he said.
And, Karpf joked, “as somebody who spent the past six years sitting around reading old tech magazines and designing a class around old tech magazines,” he also appreciates the way the PIT Scholars program gives him a “deeply appealing” opportunity to “help build a community where that [work] is of some strange use.”
Joubin, who is working on multiple projects examining the interplay of technology, language, culture and the public interest, spoke passionately about the importance of involving humanities and arts scholars in conversations about tech, and vice versa. The written word, she pointed out, is itself a form of technology that no current scholarship has bettered. Where technology and the humanities intersect—which, increasingly, is everywhere—these intersections “force us to ask and rethink longstanding questions about moral agency, trustworthiness, the mind and body and the relationship between humans and machines.”
Such questions may seem esoteric, and projects on the borders of PIT may currently seem fringe. But, as Joubin pointed out, knowledge can only advance at the borders of what’s currently known. As PIT Scholars, she and her colleagues can “showcase the value of being atypical.”
“Atypical work is where breakthroughs are possible,” she said. “There is value in being a little bit of a weirdo.”
The prestigious Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program is opening doors for Elliott School graduates to turn their academic experience into impactful careers in the federal government.
Administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the PMF program is designed to recruit and develop the next generation of leaders for the federal workforce. The application process evaluates candidates’ leadership potential, with top candidates selected as finalists. Those finalists then have the opportunity to be appointed as two-year paid fellows at federal agencies.
In addition to the hands-on experience at federal agencies, Presidential Management Fellows receive mentorship from senior government leaders and the chance to drive innovation in public policy spheres.
The Elliott School prepares each new cohort of potential PMFs to master each part of the application process with great detail and prowess. Each year, the Elliott School celebrates having a large group of alumni and second-year students who have earned distinction as PMF Finalists.
Two Presidential Management Fellows, Daria Howard and John T. Lovinggood, shared their experiences working at agencies like the International Trade Administration, Transportation Security Administration, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services through the PMF program.
Howard currently serves as a Digital Outreach Specialist at the International Trade Administration. She was motivated to apply to the PMF program by her desire to pursue a career in public service.
“For me, this meant using my skill set and interests to make others’ lives better,” Howard said. “Another motivation for me and also how I would characterize the program, is community. It’s amazing to be part of such a passionate and talented community, which you’ll continue to be a part of even after the program ends.”
Howard encourages current Elliott students interested in the PMF program to maintain an unwavering focus on public service.
“Throughout the whole process and beyond, keep public service at the forefront of your mind and at the core of what you do,” Howard said. “It will guide you in the right direction and lead to a meaningful career.”
Lovinggood, who graduated from the Elliott School in 2022, was drawn to the PMF program as a means of continuing his career in public service. As a Presidential Management Fellow, he has held roles at the TSA and USCIS related to critical national security matters.
Lovinggood reflected on his experience as a PMF and urged eligible Elliott students to apply to the program.
“It has been a great experience for me that has opened many doors to a fruitful career,” Lovinggood said. “I would recommend to any motivated Elliott Student that there are many opportunities that you may not be aware of, so go ahead and apply!”
GW students won the 2024 Model G20 Summit, beating delegations from universities across the country and earning the “Best Delegation” distinction.
The three-day Model G20 Summit simulates the annual forum where leaders of the world’s largest economies convene. Student delegations represent different countries and negotiate to draft a joint “Communique” detailing policies across major global themes.
“I am incredibly proud of everyone in the GW delegation,” said Hannah Spiegeler, who served as President and led the team to victory. “I knew our skills, cooperation, and talent would lead to success. I wanted to make sure that we won as a delegation – and we did!”
The GW delegation began preparing two weeks before the summit. The delegation researched China’s foreign and domestic policies and prepared talking points, speeches, and policy memos.
In addition to the team’s overall first-place finish, the members of the GW delegation earned multiple individual awards:
– Nicholas Tappe earned “Outstanding Delegate” (2nd place) in the Sherpa Track
– Jonathan Kay received the “Outstanding Delegate” honor in the Finance Track
– Hannah Spiegeler was named “Best Delegate” in the Leaders’ Track
Elliott Senior Jonathan Kay reflected on the professional opportunities stemming from the summit.
“The additional networking opportunities that have come to fruition because of this summit have primarily been networking with other promising young international affairs practitioners who will no doubt wield influence in the future,” Kay said. “I look forward to meeting with some of them again, and I am keeping in touch with some of them.”
Spiegeler echoed the long-term impact of the Model G20 summit.
“I have strengthened my skills in negotiation, research, as well as leadership,” Spiegeler said, “all of which would be very useful in future internships, research positions, or jobs in the field of international affairs.”
Formed nearly four years ago, GW’s International Women of Elliott (I/WE) is committed to women’s advancement in international affairs. I/WE Executive Circle members champion Elliott students focused on women’s leadership to ensure those who choose to lead have the resources and tools to do so.
In addition to connecting Elliott alumni and students, I/WE raises funds to provide grants for Elliott students, supporting tuition, research projects, unpaid internships, conference presentations, and other activities. In the last two academic years, I/WE has awarded an impressive $183,000 to 48 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
On this International Women’s Day, we spoke with several I/WE Executive Circle members about their participation, what the network means to them, and why women’s leadership matters.
Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, BA ’80; President, Middle East Policy Council, Washington, D.C.
I’m currently running a non-profit that focuses on policy education and bridge-building between Americans and Middle Easterners – crucial in today’s world. As a former Ambassador, I know that ensuring women participate fully in society and in international affairs is essential to a more peaceful world.
Representation is so important. It made a difference to me in forming my goals and my sense of where l belong. Sometimes seeing a woman in leadership was a spur. Sometimes seeing us missing was an even greater one!
Alexandra Garcia, MIPP ’14; Non-Profit Consultant, Washington, D.C.
Helping to create a welcoming, safe, and connected space for younger professional women is very important to me because I don’t think it really existed when I was going through my own educational journey.
I hope and expect that more and more women will come into the decision-making roles that are pivotal in advancing a more just and fair societal order around the world. Women are just as strategic and goal-driven as men, but I believe we are more attuned to and mindful of the impact of our collective actions as a human species on the citizens of the world. “Winning at all costs” has proven over and over to be a failing strategy for world affairs.
Julie Monaco, BA ’85; Managing Director and Global Head, Public Sector Banking, Citi, New York; I/WE Executive Circle Co-Chair
My Elliott School education is why I have succeeded in a career in global banking. My international affairs degree gave me the foundation of understanding and instilled a passion to continue explore and learn about all the political and economic challenges my clients in 150+ countries face every day. Throughout my career, I had fantastic mentors and teachers, both men and women, who helped me grow and contribute in a way that would not be possible without them. I participate in I/WE to provide more young people who share the I/WE mission with the vast opportunities that an Elliott School education will offer them.
Brooke Pearson, MIPP ’16; Lead Program Manager, Google Chrome Trust & Safety, Google, United Kingdom
I used to think that international policy work could only be done from a thinktank, NGO, or in government. However, I learned that there are increasingly more policy-focused roles in the private sector too. I advise young women and students to keep your horizon broad: approach your career with an open mind about where you can make an impact, and where your skills will shine.
Laura Wais, BA ’71; Underwater and Travel Photographer, San Francisco
I/WE is to me a way to connect with former and current students and faculty at the Elliott School. Being invited to join the Executive Circle is a great honor. I owe so much to my education at GW. I feel that I/WE donations help shape the future of Elliott School graduates, who will go into the world as a future generation of leaders.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and travel several times a year to take images of Africa and the Indo-Pacific regions. I share my images with different environmental nonprofits and companies to highlight what I have seen in foreign countries. This is important to me from a perspective of increasing a world view to those who may not be able to travel as I do.
GW’s Institute for African Studies inaugurates the Bridges Institute Africa Series in conversation with the Nobel Peace Laureate and former president of Liberia.
Authored by: B.L. Wilson
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was introduced as “an extraordinary leader, the former president of the Republic of Liberia, a Nobel Peace Laureate and recipient of the Mo Ibrahim award for achievement in African leadership,” by the Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs Alyssa Ayres.
These honors were bestowed upon Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected woman of an African country, for restoring democratic rule and bringing economic stability and peace to Liberia after a decade of civil war. “She is now known as a tireless activist, an advocate and champion for peace and for women’s inclusion and participation in peace building,” said Ayres.
With this brief introduction, Ayres inaugurated the George Washington University Bridges Institute Africa lecture series in the Jack Morton Auditorium that was filled to capacity Tuesday evening. The lecture series was endowed by the Bridges Institute, which was founded by the Hon. Vivian Lowery Derryck, a member of the Elliott School’s Board of Advisors, to help strengthen African governments and democracy through advocacy and dialogue by building a platform for civil society to engage with senior U.S. and African leadership on the challenges of peace building, democracy and empowerment.
Derryck provided a broad description of Johnson Sirleaf’s worldwide standing as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” praising her as a “defiant” leader who survived abuse and imprisonment and dared challenge the corrupt leadership of previous Liberian presidents before winning election against a popular soccer star in 2005.
“She invested in agriculture, she emphasized education, she emphasized the importance of democratic institutions and the rule of law,” said Derryck. “She installed competent women in cabinet positions, and she underscored the centrality of market women not only to the economy but to the social fabric of the country.”
Johnson Sirleaf is also noted for stepping down after two terms in office and continuing her activism as a worldwide citizen.
The 85-year-old Johnson Sirleaf stepped gingerly to the podium to speak to the audience before sitting for a conversation with the Director of the GW Institute for African Studies Jennifer G. Cooke. In a measured but spirited voice, she observed that there were many in the audience whom she could name one by one whom she hoped to engage in a dialogue about what they now face.
“The Bridges Lecture takes place at a time of global disarray, a crisis imposed by the crisis of COVID-19 that disrupted the path of sustainable development in the developing world and revealed so starkly the imbalances in our global architecture, politically and economically,” she said. “Today we face the existential threat of climate change, the uncertainties of artificial intelligence and the resurgence of conflicts around the world fueled by the malign actors who see democracy as a threat to their ambitions. These forces are impacting Africa, which has seen a decline in partner support for democracy for the first time in decades.
“The multilateralism that has been the bedrock of global peace and security has been compromised,” Johnson Sirleaf continued. “Social media platforms have fueled shallow understandings of history and the drivers that build society, consensus and cohesion. Our world is crying out for leadership that meets the moment.”
Cooke asked Johnson Sirleaf what she saw as the way forward in this deeply polarized era when people no longer listen to one another, and negotiation and compromise seem almost impossible.
Johnson Sirleaf responded that in the period following World War II leaders addressed conflicts and tensions with dialogue and consultation to achieve global cooperation, processes that current leaders need to go back to.
“It takes a leader who is willing to make sacrifice, compromise…and stand tall for the principles that brought them to leadership,” she said. “We need those old-fashioned methods of assuring peace and security in the world.”
Cooke noted that many regions of the world that were not involved in the creation of those multilateral institutions that set those standards do not feel represented. What could be done, Cooke asked, to restore the legitimacy of multilateral institutions like the United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund?
Johnson Sirleaf said there are new, big nations that do not subscribe to the old international standards. She pointed out that issues today are more complex. “We must also accept the fact that the time for change has come,” she said. “Some of those institutions…have to be reinstituted, reunited for more participation for people, more participation for society, the acceptances of differences in policies and vision.”
But dialogue, Johnson Sirleaf noted, will be needed to make those changes and work through a system of global interaction.
“In a world bound together by financial and communications systems, one has to recognize that no matter how powerful, nations cannot stand alone and survive,” she said. “The time has come to accept the fact that nations are more equal.”
Addressing younger women in the audience during a Q & A session, Johnson Sirleaf said, “Obtain as much knowledge as you can so when you speak you speak with the abilities that you have developed. Stay focused on what your goals are. Set those goals with full determination, know that you can achieve them. Even when you face tough obstacles be courageous enough to accept them…and rise above it.
“If you are from Africa, get as much as you can get of experience and knowledge and go home. Go serve your country.”
