The first ever AboutHer Global Forum happened this week at The George Washington University, and in attendance were many distinguished personalities giving talks, sharing experiences and stimulating learnings. The goal of symposium was to highlight Saudi Arabian women and their soaring accomplishments over the past years.
The Jack Morton auditorium was fully packed with individuals from all backgrounds and ages to witness the conference. The questions and answers probed into many fields including science, fashion, chemistry, biology and more, creating a seat on the global and inclusive conversational table.
Among the many inspirational quotes and key highlights, Founder and Editor-in-chief of AboutHer gave a particularly motivating speech, in which he highlighted the platform's role - a portal that puts Saudi women at the center of society.
He spoke for every woman that has achieved a milestone, created an invention, helped the community, pushed her country forward, and all-in-all broke down doors that were not too long ago slammed shut.
Read the speech here:
It is an honor to be here with you to mark what has indeed been a remarkable period in Saudi Arabia’s history, particularly for the Kingdom’s women. Over the last two years, we as a nation have been working to transform our society and our economy. Inspired by the Saudi Vision 2030, architected by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, we are working on becoming a fully-inclusive society, one where every citizen has a role to play in the country’s greater vision, and one where Saudi women are at the forefront of driving growth, leading change, and inspiring the nation in every way.
Every one of us here today understands that representation truly matters, and to support the journey embarked on today by Saudi Arabian women means to provide them with a space where they feel empowered – where their voices can be heard, their successes can be shared, and their stories can be told accurately and truthfully. That is why in 2017, we launched AboutHer.com, a website dedicated to highlighting the roles and realities of Saudi women that often go unmentioned. Through features, interviews, detailed profiles, news pieces, and power lists, this award-winning platform aims to broaden the narratives and representations of Saudi women, while also addressing the stereotypes and misconceptions often found in western media.
This year, we at AboutHer have taken our efforts further with the creation of the AboutHer Global Forum – or AGF.
AGF has been envisioned as an annual platform through which Saudi Arabia’s most innovative, inspirational, and outstanding women at the forefront of our ongoing transformation are highlighted and honored. Through each edition of the Forum, we want to focus on female participation in all aspects of Saudi society, as well as the importance of cultivating an environment of encouragement and optimism that supports their visions and accomplishments.
Today, we can proudly say that we are a nation working towards modernization while still preserving its heritage – a country that is building a knowledge-centric economy, adopting a greener way of life, and bringing back the foundations of our beliefs centered on tolerance, moderation, and inclusiveness. Today, we are a nation that understands the need for change, a nation that knows this new journey we have chosen to embark on can only be possible when we first and foremost support the visions, talents, efforts, and rights of all women in the Kingdom.
