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8 OUR LIFE • July 2025 Remarks by Ambassador Melanne Verveer at “The Power of Sisterhood: Ukrainian Women in History, Diplomacy, and the International Women’s Movement” It is a pleasure to be here with all of you to cele - brate the power of sisterhood, which is certainly much in evidence in this room. I would be remiss if I didn’t begin by saluting Am - bassador Markarova. Before she came to Washing - ton to take up her current position, I heard from several friends in Ukraine — members of the sister - hood — who told me that an exceptional woman was coming to the U.S. as Ukraine’s new ambassa - dor. In my experience, she has been the most ef - fective, articulate, and hardworking ambassador Ukraine has sent to the U.S. since its independence, and she has come at one of the most difficult times. So, Madam Ambassador, thank you from all of us. Over 150 years ago in the U.S., the first women’s equal rights convention took place in Seneca Falls, NY. I remember reading the memoirs of a wom - an who desperately wanted to make the journey Ukraine House, Washington, DC, April 4, 2025 to the convention, but worried that no one else would be on the road. Women in her time had few rights — they couldn’t keep their meager wages if they had a job; they couldn’t vote no matter how much they wanted to contribute to their society; despite their talents and potential, most women couldn’t access higher education — and so she started out despite her trepidation. And when the sun came up she saw hundreds of people, women and many good men who supported women’s rights — some on foot, some in horse-drawn carriages — all making the journey for equal rights for women. We are all still on that journey everywhere in the world — some are farther ahead, some are struggling behind, but the global sisterhood is still on that journey. And it was 30 years ago this year that tens of thousands of women from all over the world, in - Held to celebrate sisterhood and to mark International Women’s Day, “The Power of Sisterhood” was co-sponsored by the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA, Ukraine House DC Foundation, the Ukrainian Na- tional Women’s League of America, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Oksa- na Markarova shared opening remarks, Irena Chalupa moderated a discussion with Dr. Alla Shvets on the history of the Ukrainian women’s movement, and Ambassador Verveer provided these closing remarks. Ambassador Verveer is the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. She previously served as the first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, a position to which she was nominated by President Obama in 2009. President Obama also appointed her to serve as the U.S. Representative to the UN Com - mission on the Status of Women. From 2000 to 2008, she was the Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international NGO that she co-founded to invest in emerging women leaders. During the Clinton administration, she served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady. She is the co-author of Fast For - ward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose (2015). Ambassador Verveer has a B.S. and M.S. from Georgetown University, holds several honorary degrees, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Secretary of State’s Award for Distinguished Ser - vice. In 2008, the President of Ukraine awarded her the Order of Princess Olga.
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