Peng Liyuan, UNESCO Special Envoy for Girls’ and Women’s Education and wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, delivered a powerful message at the 2024 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education ceremony in Paris this week. Her speech highlighted the transformative power of education for women globally, blending inspiration with a call to action. 🗣️✨
🏆 Celebrating Change-Makers
Peng congratulated award-winning organizations from Uganda and Zambia, praising their efforts to break barriers in education. \"Girls’ education isn’t just about classrooms—it’s about shaping futures, families, and our world,\" she emphasized. These groups have pioneered projects tackling everything from STEM access to digital literacy, proving innovation thrives when opportunity knocks. 💡
📱 Bridging the Gap
The envoy urged stronger global support for health, digital, and science education for women. \"We need more coding bootcamps, fewer glass ceilings,\" she quipped, advocating for programs that equip women with skills to launch startups and lead industries. China, she noted, remains committed to improving educational opportunities domestically while sharing expertise abroad. 🌏
💪 A Global Mission
Established by China and UNESCO, the prize is the UN’s only award focused on gender equality in education. Since its 2016 launch, it’s amplified initiatives in over 50 countries—from rural tech hubs to mentorship networks. Peng’s closing words? \"Let’s turn ‘girl power’ into ‘global progress.’\" 👩🎓🚀
