On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in collaboration with LAU’s Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) hosted an event on March 10, 2016 at the U.N House in Beirut. 

The event entailed a series of speeches by United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UN-ESCWA Ms. Rima Khalaf, LAU Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management Dr. Elise Salem, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme in the Arab Region, Ragheb Alama, as well as Lebanese Actress Nadine El Rassi who jointly echoed the need to empower women and strive to end discrimination against them. In light of this year’s global theme “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it Up for Gender Equality” all speakers urged governments to make national commitments to close the gender equality gap. 

The event also highlighted the issue of violence against women where a 10 minute skit, performed by LAU students, showcased the damaging effects of domestic abuse and psychological abuse. The skit is an excerpt of a play entitled Hayda Mesh Film Masri (This is Not an Egyptian Movie) directed by Dr. Lina Abyad, Associate Professor of Communication Arts at LAU. The event ended with a musical performance by Syrian singer Faya Younaan who sang for hope and resistance.

More details about the event are found in this LAU News article.