From May 5-7, hundreds of women leaders, partners, and allies gathered for an historic event: the launch and grand opening festival of the first-of-its-kind Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership in the heart of Washington, D.C.
A new era of women’s leadership was officially ushered in with a performance by Grammy-winning artist MILCK and remarks from former First Lady of the United States, former Secretary of State, and Vital Voices co-founder Secretary Hillary Clinton. The audience also heard from fashion designer and Vital Voices Board Member Diane von Fürstenberg; Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser; and Vital Voices President and CEO Alyse Nelson. Before a crowd of hundreds of girls – who marched from the White House to the front steps of the new building – and women from around the world, these trailblazing leaders cut the ribbon to open the world’s very first Global Embassy for Women.
The three-day festival that followed was brimming with compelling conversations, engaging panel discussions, and electrifying exhibits and performances. Amid the packed house, there were countless moments of connection and collaboration. Distinguished speakers shared their stories, expertise, and perspectives, inspiring women to take action and chart a new course for women’s leadership. We were honored to hear from participants including former heads of state, policymakers and parliamentary ministers, current and former ambassadors, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, actors, activists, and dozens of other seismic changemakers and pioneers of progress.
A full video recap of the following sessions is available on the Vital Voices website:
- Future of Women’s Leadership (featuring Secretary Hillary Clinton)
- $13 Trillion Opportunity: Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls (featuring Jen Klein, Co-Chair of the White House Gender Policy Council)
- Women Bridging Divides (featuring Secretary Hillary Clinton and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY))
- Women Leading in Crisis (featuring Ambassador Oksana Markarova of Ukraine and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nadia Murad)
- The Next Generation: Black Maternal Health (featuring comedian Angelina Spicer)
- Art and Innovation Powering Change (featuring MILCK and marketing executive Bozoma Saint John)
We invite you to relive the festivities and celebrate this groundbreaking space by watching the recorded livestreams, browsing photo highlights of the three-day opening, and checking out our social media coverage of the event.
The Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership is an inclusive space for all women, everywhere. And so we were thrilled to be able to share its launch with an even broader audience through widespread coverage of the festival in local and national news outlets, including PBS Newshour, ABC News, the CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell, Fox 5 DC, and WJLA.
Throughout the festival, we were reminded of the power, courage, and persistence of women leaders. Women around the world are catapulting us all into a brighter future. If you would like to support their work, please consider making a donation that will further the mission of Vital Voices and amplify the tireless women leaders working for human rights, climate justice, and women’s political and economic empowerment. Join our mailing list to stay up to date on how we’re supporting women who lead differently – women whose work promotes equality, fosters community, and nourishes human potential.
The 20,000 women leaders in the Vital Voices network are driven by deep purpose. They know the great work that yet lies ahead of us to remake the world in the image of equality and justice. The Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership is the next big step toward that new world. It is the hub of innovation and collaboration in which, together, we can pursue the most crucial undertaking of our time.
We hope you’ll join us.