Feature News

Dina Baslan’s “On the Refugee Route” post out now

June 29, 2016

In this second to last blog in 2016 convening participant Dina Baslan’s five part series, “On the Refugee Route” takes us along my friend Somar’s journey through Europe’s firewall; the Balkans. We tread through Greece, Macedonia and Serbia –queuing in lines, crossing borders on foot and sleeping in camps– before something (un)expected takes place which leads to separating our group. Read the rest of the story on her Medium blog: https://goo.gl/Yg2J9F

US Ambassador to Cyprus to Host Opening Reception

June 20, 2016

We are very appreciative that our opening reception will be hosted by the US Ambassador to Cyprus, Kathleen Dougherty.

For the convening, our keynote speakers include:

Professor Fatima Sadiqi, a Moroccan convening participant, professor, and researcher. She has an academic background in women and gender studies in the MENA region.

Anat Thon, a successful lawyer and activist promoting the representation of diverse women in a public-decision making bodies, and submitting numerous petitions to the Supreme Court on Res. 1325 in Israel. She will be joining our Israeli team.

Amal Hamidallah, Director of the Gulf Foundation, lawyer, and civil society analyst residing in the Netherlands.

Rash Report: International Women of Courage Award winners offer Mideast hope

April 13, 2016

President Sandy Pappas met with the two women offered the Women of Courage Award. Read more about Dr. Nagham Nazwat Hasan of Iraq and Nihal Naj Ali Al-Awlaqi’s of Yemen’s work on behalf of women in the Middle East.

FGW President Sandy Pappas met Dr. Hazan, an International Women of Courage Awardee

Sen. Pappas with Dr Al-Awlaqi and the Al-Hajiby family from Yemen

At Security Council, UN Women Chief Urges Greater Input, Visibility of Women in Peacebuilding

March 29, 2016

28 March 2016 – Emphasizing the consistent, dependable and universal commitment of women to conflict prevention, the head of UN Women today called for greater efforts to reach the goal of allocating at least 15 per cent of peace-building resources to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

“Women need to be resourced so that they can do more,” Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women told the Security Council during an open debate on the role of women in conflict prevention in Africa. Read more.

U.S. Institute for Peace releases new “Thought for Action” kit

March 23, 2016

Check out the new “Women Preventing Violent Extremism” thought for action kit published by the U.S. Institute for Peace. This document is for policy makers, practitioners and academics who are interested in understanding “why gender matters” in preventing violent extremism. Check it out here.

Congratulations to Fatima Sadiqi and Loubna Amhair on Publication

February 22, 2016

We are proud to share that two of our FGW team members from Morocco have authored chapters in this publication.

kas_44159-1522-1-30_80.pdf

Pres. Sandy Pappas holds talk at AAUW

FGW President Senator Sandy Pappas holds a Forward Global Women talk at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) House on Summit Ave. in St. Paul, MN. A successful talk spreading the word about the successful work we do! Pictured from left is Lois Wintersteen, Sandy & early FGW, supporter Karen Kirkwood

FGW President Senator Sandy Pappas after her FGW talk at the AAUW house on Summit Ave in St Paul. Left Lois Wintersteen, Sandy & early FGW supporter Karen Kirkwood.

FGW Board Members Attend Regional Meetings in December, 2015

FGW meets with Women Wage Peace, an Israeli NGO, to discuss a collaboration action.

Board members attend regional meetings in December at the Notre Dam Hotel in East Jerusalem.

FGW meets with Israel ambassador to Jordan, Einat Schlein.

Congratulations Anissa Hassouna on Being Elected to the New Egyptian Parliament!

Anissa Hassouna, Executive Director of Sir Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, was appointed to the New Egyptian Parliament for the next five years. Anissa was a participant at the 2015 FGW Convening in St. Paul, MN. Congratulations Anissa!

Anissa was the first woman elected to the Board of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs. She is a member of the Executive Council of the “Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs” that won the Nobel Prize in 1995. She is a member of both the Consultative Boards of the “Arab Thought Foundation-Beirut, Lebanon” and the “Arab Forum for Alternatives-Cairo, Egypt.” Previously, Anissa was a political advisor to the Chairman of the Information and Decision Support Center of the Egyptian Cabinet, the Director General of Egypt’s International Economic Forum, and Assistant General Manager at Egypt Iran Development Bank. In 2014, she was named by Arabian Business and CEO Middle East Magazine as one of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Arab Women.”

Addressing Climate and Peace in Paris and Minnesota

Ellen Anderson, executive director of the University of Minnesota’s Energy Transition Lab, former state senator, and a former chair of the Public Utilities Commission co-authors a Community Voices article about the COP21 Climate talks and their implications for Minnesota in MinnPost.