Press Release

President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush To Host Summit Focused On Improving The Lives Of Women And Girls Globally

On September 21-22, 2015, First Ladies from around the world will gather at the George W. Bush Presidential Center for the 2015 Global...

DALLAS, Texas

On September 21-22, 2015, First Ladies from around the world will gather at the George W. Bush Presidential Center for the 2015 Global Women’s Network, a summit focused on ideas, innovation, and partnerships to promote women’s education, health, and economic empowerment.

Partnering with tech industry pioneers Facebook and Google, the Bush Center is bringing together First Ladies, private and public sector leaders, and the next generation of innovators to showcase collaboration and effective solutions to pressing challenges for women and girls.

President and Mrs. Bush will deliver remarks at the summit. Speakers will also include:

Mrs. Cherie Blair, CBE, QC, Founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

Secretary Margaret Spellings, President, George W. Bush Presidential Center

John Damonti, President, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

Brisa De Angulo, Co-President, A Breeze of Hope

Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes, CEO, Akilah Institute for Women

Connie Duckworth, Founder and CEO, ARZU Studio Hope

Vicki Escarra, Global CEO, Opportunity International

Shelly Esque, VP Corporate Affairs, Intel Corporation

Catherine Gill, Senior Vice President, Root Capital

Holly Gordon, Co-founder, Girl Rising

Aida G. Iglesias, Director of International Programs, Alfalit

Diana Monica Kisaka, Managing Director, T-MARC, Tanzania

Wendy Kopp, Founder and CEO, Teach for All

Marne Levine, COO, Instagram

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, Chief Executive Officer, Mary’s Meals International

Hadeer Maher, Social Enterprise Practitioner, 2013 Bush Institute Women’s Initiative Fellow

Diana Mao, Founder, Nomi Network

Joyce Mapani, Cervical Cancer Screening Nurse, Livingstone Central Hospital

Toshi Nakamura, CEO and Co-founder, Kopernik

Sydney Price, SVP Corporate Social Responsibility, Kate Spade & Company

Laura Quintana, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, Cisco

Will Snell, Director of Public Engagement & Development, Development Media International

Bill Steiger, Interim CEO, Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon

Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Vice President Global Strategies, International Justice Mission

What:             

Global Women’s Network

A Summit of Ideas, Innovation, and Partnerships

The Global Women’s Network event will launch on September 21 with a special screening and discussion of the film “Girl Rising,” which tells the story of the power of education to transform the world.

Two plenary panels on September 22 will highlight:

  • Next Generation Innovators: Transforming Lives through Creative Interventions
  • The Power of Public Private Partnerships: Collaborating to Improve the Lives of Women and Girls

 Salon panels on September 22 to include:

  • Freedom from Injustice: Empowering Women and Girls by Combatting Exploitation and Discrimination
  • Healthy Women, Healthy Nations: Saving Lives Through Technology Advancements
  • Fostering Prosperous Communities: Leveraging Agriculture Innovations to Support Female Farmers
  • Education for All: Expanding Opportunities for Girls and Equipping Women Leaders
  • Invest in Women: The Key to Economic Prosperity

When:             

September 21-22, 2015

George W. Bush Presidential Center

Dallas, Texas                                 

Why:               

Advancing women’s economic empowerment, health, and education is imperative to development because the inclusion and active participation of women in all areas of society increases stability and prosperity of countries. Investing in women results in better outcomes for entire families, communities, and nations.

At the Bush Center, we envision a world where all children have access to education, women are living healthy, vibrant lives, and the economic life of countries is spurred by the active inclusion of women. The 2015 Global Women’s Network will spotlight ideas, innovations, and partnerships that are making this dream a reality, disrupting the status quo and improving the lives of women and girls globally.

This event is open to the media and requires credentials acquired in advance. To register for credentials, please submit at www.bushcenter.org/newsroom by September 17 at 5:00 p.m. CST. To follow the conversation on social media, use hashtag #GWN2015.