“Pakistan has made impressive strides in the past several decades with regards to women's education and empowerment. we have produced this enormous human capital, which is visible in our parliament, judiciary, civil services and civil society,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States
“Women in Pakistan are becoming confident entrepreneurs in education, healthcare, and tech sectors and their representation in the business ecosystems is increasing day by day,” he added.
“They are the trailblazers and are leading from the front,” he said.
Ambassador Masood Khan made these remarks during the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent (LOI) between Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) of Pakistan and Delaware State University (DSU) of the United States of America here at the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington D.C.
The signing of Letter of Intent (LOI) would establish a framework for collaboration between the two universities to foster a more vibrant academic experience for students, faculty, and staff that will encourage mutual engagement at all institutional levels.
The important areas of collaboration between two educational institutions are diversity and inclusion workshops, collaborative research on minority issues, student exchange programs: joint community outreach programs, and networking events for minority academic professionals.
Appreciating the role of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Ambassador Masood Khan termed USAID ‘a partner of Pakistan for decades’ that has contributed directly and indirectly towards economic development of Pakistan especially in healthcare and education sector.
Referring to last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan, Ambassador Masood Khan recalled massive support extended by the United States Government, particularly by USAID.
“USAID not only helped us directly by contributing to Pakistan’s flood relief efforts but also used its convening power to mobilize other countries in reconstruction efforts later on,” he observed.
Recalling visit of Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, and Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, Isobel Coleman, to the remotest flood-hit areas of Pakistan, Ambassador Masood Khan thanked the agency for showing solidarity with people of Pakistan.
In his remarks, Mr. Clinton D. White, Counselor for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) underscored the importance of the agreement that celebrates women’s empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity.
“We are gathered here not only to celebrate partnerships, service to communities, and giving voices to everyone but this event marks the beginning of the next phase of working together,” said Counselor White.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Dr. Rahama Gill, Academician and head of delegation from FJWU, termed the agreement a generous espousal of USAID that she said “would go a long way in establishing cohesion with other universities as well.”
In their remarks, Ms. Zeineh Salahi, Deputy Assistant Administrator USAID, and Dr Antonio Boyle, Senior Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and International Affairs, at Delaware State University said that the collaborative efforts would not only benefit the minority populations within our countries and institutions but also contribute to the broader goal of creating a more inclusive and equitable society. “By sharing resources, knowledge, and experiences, we can amplify the impact of our initiatives and inspire positive change,” they said.
A panel discussion comprising participants from FJWU and USAID was also held with a focus on proposed initiatives and how the institutions can work together to create a more inclusive and supportive academic environment.
The audience was informed about the upcoming mega-conference in Pakistan in February 2024 with the participation of 18 women universities from both Pakistan and the United States.
In the end, Ambassador Masood Khan congratulated both FJWU and DSU on the historic moment wishing them luck for the anticipated conference in Pakistan.
The event concluded with the screening of USAID-funded Pakistani drama Sar-e-Rah that portrays resilience of Pakistani women.
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