The former first woman president of Finland, Tarja Halonen, and the president and CEO of Asian University for Women (AUW), Kamal Ahmad, visited Ewha and delivered special lectures during Chapel on March 25 and 28 at the Welch-Ryang Auditorium. Tarja Halonen served Finland from 2000 to 2012, she is known for her efforts in the gender rights issue and is currently a member of the Council of Women World Leaders. “I am very glad about this opportunity to share my thoughts on sustainable development, green growth and women’s leadership with you,” Halonen said. “I would like to emphasize that the equal participation of women in all social, economic and political decision making is important. It will be even more so when you seek a new vision for green economy and make it a new normal of Korea’s everyday life.” Kamal Ahmad also met Ewha students and gave a lecture on the identity of the AUW. “We look at this university above all as an incubator of a new generation of women leaders who will have the courage, the sense of justice and the ability to envision large scale change and also possess the practical know how of affecting that change on the ground.” Ahmad said. The AUW is a women’s university located in Bangladesh, exclusively dedicated to the education, leadership and welfare of women in Asia and the Middle East. Before Ahmad became the president of the AUW, he served as a jury member for the Cartier Award for Women’s Entrepreneurship. A visit to the Ewha president’s office, campus tour and luncheon at the Jinseonmi-gwan were followed after the special lecture.
