To: The Wellesley Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: African Women’s Leadership Conference Begins Today
Date: March 8, 2018
With the opening of the African Women’s Leadership Conference today, Wellesley is honored to welcome to our campus some of the most inspiring leaders from across Africa. Organized in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the two-day conference celebrates a truly remarkable group of accomplished and influential women from a wide range of fields, including education and politics, health and technology, entertainment and the law.
I hope everyone will attend the keynotes given by four extraordinary women:
- Agnes Binagwaho, Vice Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity, and Former Minister of Health, Rwanda, will speak to “The Challenges Faced by African Women Leaders in the Health Sector.”
Thursday, 3/8 at 1:15 p.m. in Alumnae Hall Auditorium - Kakenya Ntaiya, Kenyan educator and social activist, will deliver a keynote titled “Empowering Girls, Transforming Communities: My Journey to Live a Bold Vision for Change.”
Thursday, 3/8 at 6:30 p.m. in Alumnae Hall Auditorium - Kansiime Anne, the Ugandan comedian and actor known as “Africa’s Queen of Comedy,” will perform some of the comedy sketches that have made her famous.
Thursday, 3/8 at 7:45 p.m. in Alumnae Hall Auditorium - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia (2006–2018) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, delivers this year’s Kenner Lecture, “If Your Dreams Do Not Scare You.”
Friday, 3/9 at 3:45 p.m. in Alumnae Hall Auditorium
Please join me in welcoming our many distinguished guests, many of whom have traveled thousands of miles to take part in a conference that is the first of its kind in the United States. Together, we support the next generation of African women leaders—women who are dedicated to making the world a better place.
