Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, USA
Given the
success of the first Women2Women conference,
Empower Peace decided to produce the event for a
second year. Through our experience, we realized
that there is a tremendous need and desire to
expose young women to new educational
opportunities, cultures and experiences. The Second
Annual Women2Women Leadership Conference was
developed to give participants an opportunity to
further develop their leadership skills and learn
from each other the cultural differences and
similarities they all share. Empower Peace funded
this conference through our own financial
resources. Because of this, we were unable to
provide a home-stay experience.
Empower Peace partnered with Lesley University, Harvard University and The Fletcher School at Tufts University for a second year in a row. Through these partnerships we were able to develop a comprehensive program and exciting experience for our participants. Lesley University served as the campus host and was able to provide housing for all the participants and chaperones. Empower Peace selected 45 young women from 11 countries to participate in the conference. The countries represented include were Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, the United States of America and Uzbekistan.
The 45 women were selected from an applicant pool of more than 200 students from 20 countries. Applicants were chosen for their dedication to their community, their leadership potential and their academic background. As in 2006, students filled out an application and received teacher recommendations.
The conference took place from August 5, 2007 through August 10, 2007. The young women participated in workshops that explored government, community service, business and media as well as attending a series of cultural events in the Boston area.
Among the established professional leaders speaking to the young women were:
• Juliette Kayyem, the Undersecretary of Homeland Security in Massachusetts
• Susan Hackley, the Director of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard University
• Vicki Donlan, Publisher of Women’s Business Magazine
• Jim Roosevelt Jr., President/CEO of Tufts Healthc Plan and the grandson of Eleanor and Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• Reverend Gloria Hammond
• Dr. Mishkat Al Moumin, the Former Minister of the Environment for the Interim Iraqi Government
Participants toured the Massachusetts State House and listened to women politicians discuss the role of women in government, the roadblocks females face in politics, and how minorities can have a voice.
The young women also spent an afternoon at Walden Woods – the home to notable author and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau. Here, Kathy Anderson, the Executive Director of the Walden Woods Project engaged the young women on community activism and the environment.
Other workshops and panel discussions the participants attended included:
• Cultural Diversity in Leadership Development
• Women in the Media
• Women in Power
• Finding the Source of your Creative Leadership Power
• Women in Business
• Networking
• The Art of Negotiation
• Global Women
Each student and/or delegation was required to make a cultural presentation about their country and culture. Up to four cultural presentations were presented each night as a way for students to receive insight into other participants’ lives.
Students were encouraged to share their experiences. As a result, a blog was created on our website with the young women’s pictures and journal entries.
Dr. Mishkat Al Moumin, the Former Minister of the Environment for the Interim Iraqi government addressed the young women on leadership through adversity. Her speech from the Fletcher School of Tufts University was also broadcast live over the Internet. The broadcast is archived on the Empower Peace website.
Conference partners include Lesley University, Program on Negotiation at Harvard University, Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, The Fletcher School of Tufts University, Polycom, VBrick, the Mason Fellow Program at the Kennedy School of Government, Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, MA State Senator Joan Menard, the Charles Hotel, DJ Pup Dawg, Teamsters Local 25, Grossman Marketing, and the Walden Woods Project.
Empower Peace partnered with Lesley University, Harvard University and The Fletcher School at Tufts University for a second year in a row. Through these partnerships we were able to develop a comprehensive program and exciting experience for our participants. Lesley University served as the campus host and was able to provide housing for all the participants and chaperones. Empower Peace selected 45 young women from 11 countries to participate in the conference. The countries represented include were Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, the United States of America and Uzbekistan.
The 45 women were selected from an applicant pool of more than 200 students from 20 countries. Applicants were chosen for their dedication to their community, their leadership potential and their academic background. As in 2006, students filled out an application and received teacher recommendations.
The conference took place from August 5, 2007 through August 10, 2007. The young women participated in workshops that explored government, community service, business and media as well as attending a series of cultural events in the Boston area.
Among the established professional leaders speaking to the young women were:
• Juliette Kayyem, the Undersecretary of Homeland Security in Massachusetts
• Susan Hackley, the Director of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard University
• Vicki Donlan, Publisher of Women’s Business Magazine
• Jim Roosevelt Jr., President/CEO of Tufts Healthc Plan and the grandson of Eleanor and Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• Reverend Gloria Hammond
• Dr. Mishkat Al Moumin, the Former Minister of the Environment for the Interim Iraqi Government
Participants toured the Massachusetts State House and listened to women politicians discuss the role of women in government, the roadblocks females face in politics, and how minorities can have a voice.
The young women also spent an afternoon at Walden Woods – the home to notable author and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau. Here, Kathy Anderson, the Executive Director of the Walden Woods Project engaged the young women on community activism and the environment.
Other workshops and panel discussions the participants attended included:
• Cultural Diversity in Leadership Development
• Women in the Media
• Women in Power
• Finding the Source of your Creative Leadership Power
• Women in Business
• Networking
• The Art of Negotiation
• Global Women
Each student and/or delegation was required to make a cultural presentation about their country and culture. Up to four cultural presentations were presented each night as a way for students to receive insight into other participants’ lives.
Students were encouraged to share their experiences. As a result, a blog was created on our website with the young women’s pictures and journal entries.
Dr. Mishkat Al Moumin, the Former Minister of the Environment for the Interim Iraqi government addressed the young women on leadership through adversity. Her speech from the Fletcher School of Tufts University was also broadcast live over the Internet. The broadcast is archived on the Empower Peace website.
Conference partners include Lesley University, Program on Negotiation at Harvard University, Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, The Fletcher School of Tufts University, Polycom, VBrick, the Mason Fellow Program at the Kennedy School of Government, Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, MA State Senator Joan Menard, the Charles Hotel, DJ Pup Dawg, Teamsters Local 25, Grossman Marketing, and the Walden Woods Project.
Women2Women
Cultural Connection & Leadership
Program