Vital Voices Announces its 2nd Annual Festival May 5-6 Featuring Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Moms Demand Action Founder Shannon Watts, Former Netflix CMO & Author Bozoma Saint John and Actress & Activist Debra Messing
Two days of powerful in-person programming featuring panels, live performances and leadership talks livestreamed for worldwide audience engagement
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Voices is proud to announce the lineup of its *2nd Annual Vital Voices Festival* on May 5-6, 2023. The award-winning Festival will be held on the one-year anniversary of the grand opening of its* Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership*—the world’s first embassy for women.
This year’s Festival theme is *The Power of Our Voice: 25 Years of Inspiration & Impact *as the international non-profit, non-partisan NGO that was co-founded by Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the late Sec. Madeleine Albright in 1997, commemorates 25 years of investing in, connecting with and amplifying the work of women leaders around the world who are taking on the world’s greatest challenges.
Day 1 programming from 9am-6pm includes panel discussions, leadership talks, networking, live performances, a marketplace, and a debut screening of the music documentary I Can’t Keep Quiet. Participants are invite-only, but a livestream will be available for a worldwide audience to engage. *Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton* is scheduled to deliver a keynote at the Festival on May 5.
“I’m thrilled to be joining women leaders from the Vital Voices Global Network and beyond as we come together to exchange ideas on how to overcome some of the greatest challenges we face today. More than ever, we need to elevate women’s voices and amplify calls for inclusive leadership, collective action and shared progress,” said *Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton*, a Co-Founder of Vital Voices.
Day 2 features an Open House on Saturday, May 6 from 10am-4pm with leadership talks and a global marketplace of handmade crafts and unique artisanal items created by women entrepreneurs from the Vital Voices Global Network. This day is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
“I’m very much looking forward to welcoming back the global community to our women’s embassy for our 2nd Annual Vital Voices Festival. Over the two days, we will hear from brilliant thought leaders on climate justice, social change and political activism—all focused on overcoming global crises that impact women and girls the most—from gender apartheid in Iran and Afghanistan to the civil unrest in Sudan and Uganda and the ongoing war in Ukraine,” said *Kate James*, Chairman of the Board, Vital Voices. “You’ll also hear about solutions from women leaders at the forefront of change—such as those using their art as activism or their expertise in AI to spark change and electrify the global fight for women’s rights.”
“This gathering comes at a pivotal moment, when hard-fought gains of the last 25 years are very much at risk. If we want to ensure that we don’t move backwards, we need to meet this moment with boldness, creative solutions and visionary leadership that gets us back on track towards the gender equal future we all deserve,” said *Alyse Nelson*, President and CEO of Vital Voices. “I can’t wait to welcome women leaders from our network, and around the world, to our global headquarters for a series of important conversations about where we go from here.”
“I am so excited to return to the Vital Voices Festival this year to encourage women to use their power to empower. I feel urgently that all women leaders must plug in to this event, in-person or online, to tap into the power that is our collective voice,” said *Bozoma Saint John*, Marketing Executive, Author of The Urgent Life, and Vital Voices Board Member. “My life has been a journey of ups and downs—there is nothing that completes life without the support of women around the world. I am honored to be among the ranks of women leaders who are representing positive change for good at the much-anticipated Vital Voices Festival.”
*Confirmed speakers include:**
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· *Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton*
Former U.S. Secretary of State, former U.S. Senator, Co-Founder at Vital Voices· *Huma Abedin*
Author and Chief of Staff to Sec. Clinton · *Ashley Davis*
Founding Partner, West Front Strategies LLC · *Ruchira Gupta
*Journalist, Anti-trafficking Activist and Author· *Bronagh Hinds*
Peacebuilder, Northern Ireland · *Aline Kamakian*
Owner & CEO, Fig Holding and Chef· *Sophia Kianni*
Climate and Health Policy Activist· *Mandana Dayani
*Creator & Co-Founder, I am a voter
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· *MILCK*
Singer/Songwriter and Social Justice Artist*
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· *Samar Minallah Khan*
Documentary Filmmaker & Pakistani Human Rights Activist · *Claudia Peña*
Executive Director, For Freedoms & Faculty at UCLA School of Law · **Maria Pacheco
**Social Entrepreneur and Founder, Wakami· *Deborah Rutter*
President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts · *Sherrie Westin
*President of Sesame Street Workshops· *Debra Messing
*Actress & Activist· * Shannon Watts
*Founder, Moms Demand Action· *Zainab Salbi
*Founder, Women for Women International and Co-Founder, Daughters for Earth· *Ariela Suster*
El Salvadoran Founder & CEO, Sequence Collection · *Kah Walla*
President of the Cameroon People’s Party, CEO of STRATEGIES!, entrepreneur, political leader, and activist
*MEDIA REGISTRATION**.*
*PUBLIC REGISTRATION**.*
*Attachments*
· Featured Speakers
· Watch the Livestream
CONTACT: Vital Voices
media@vitalvoices.org