On June 24, 2024, on the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, The AiW, in collaboration with Rotary Club of Beirut Pax Potentia, held a panel discussion on “Women in Diplomacy.” The panel, which focused on highlighting the successes and challenges of leading figures in the diplomatic and political fields, helped to inspire young generations to engage in public affairs.

In her opening words, Senior Director of The AiW, Ms. Myriam Sfeir, greeted the panelists: the Canadian Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, H.E. Stefanie McCollum; the Second Secretary External to the UK Embassy in Beirut, Ms. Girija Tase; and the Diplomatic Counsellor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Abir Ali. She then introduced the mission of AiW, emphasizing that “out of the 100 years of LAU’s existence, 50 of them were fused by AiW’s work which operates at the intersection of academia and activism to bridge the gap between theory and practice.” On women in diplomacy specifically, Ms. Sfeir emphasized that, “despite all challenges, women have been able to fairly participate in several diplomatic missions over the years. In 2023 for instance, Lebanon was the top performer (number 1) in the Arab region, with around 24% of its ambassadors being women.” Nevertheless, considering the current state of perpetual insecurity across the Arab region, Ms. Sfeir reiterated that “one common theme always brings us together: fighting against discrimination. We must not be distracted from our commitments to gender justice. This is why we stand here today to dwell on an important topic which is women in diplomacy.”

Following Ms. Sfeir, President of Rotary Club of Beirut Pax Potentia, Mr. Anhal Kozhaya, affirmed the club’s commitment to encouraging women’s participation in diplomacy and its dedication to advancing the principles of gender equality in all fields. He emphasized the importance of building on the legacy of former women diplomats and championing the ideals of diplomacy, democracy, conflict resolution, cooperation, and peacebuilding.

The first panelist, H.E. McCollum, introduced her journey as a diplomat and shared key experiences that shaped her professional growth. In specific, she explained how, thanks to inclusive policies implemented by Canada, meaningful political opportunities have been created for aspiring women, allowing them to excel in their diplomacy careers. Despite few challenges, she encouraged young women to take the lead, fight intimidation, and pursue careers in diplomacy in their respective countries. According to H.E. McCollum, “you [women] need to make sure that your organization is representative… the representation of women is just as important as other mechanisms.”

The second panelist, Ms. Ali, presented an overview of the many challenges which women face in the diplomatic corps in general. In Lebanon, she explained how the absence of explicit policies for women’s representation hinders their active public engagements. Ms. Ali also pointed out how gender washing is very common. For example, women are appointed in few positions based on nepotism or political affiliation rather than on merit or expertise. Yet, despite these discriminatory practices, she gave hope to the audience by highlighting the success stories of several figures who have excelled in their diplomatic missions.

The final panelist, Ms. Tase, described her journey as a diplomat at the UK embassy in Lebanon.

Building on her experience, she discussed the role which women can assume to generate all- encompassing peacebuilding initiatives. She argued that diplomatic efforts lack the perspectives and insights necessary for positive change when women are excluded. Most notably, Ms. Tase urged women to “just go for it!” She added, “don’t wait years to put your name forward. You have the right to represent your country.”

The panel discussion concluded with a Q&A session. Ms. Sfeir, H.E. McCollum, Ms. Tase, and Ms. Ali were appointed honorary members of Rotary Club of Beirut Pax Potentia and received certificates of appreciation.