Women World Leaders Hold Inaugural Summit

The first annual meeting of the Council of Women World Leaders, a group of 20 women who serve or have served as a nation's president or prime minister, convened last week at the Kennedy School of Government to discuss how to rebuild trust in government and explore the challenges of global leadership.

In reflections that ranged from whimsical to resigned, a panel of nine Council members described for an overflow audience of nearly 800 in the ARCO Forum what it is like to make the tough decisions ("Lonely!" declared Tansu Çiller of Turkey), how men respond to women leaders ("Men agree on a woman prime minister only in very difficult times," said Hanna Suchocka of Poland), and what qualities make for a good leader.

"A leader will do what's unpopular if it is in the best interest of the people whereas a politician just tells the people what they want to hear," commented Pamela Gordon, who is currently premier of Bermuda.

"You don't go into politics to be loved," added Kim Campbell (Institute of Politics' Class of '94) of Canada. "If that's what you want, stay home with your family and friends."

Following the candid exchange, a student in the audience responded to the Council members: "I applaud you all for your trailblazing efforts -- you make it easier for women of my generation to pursue positions of political leadership."

Other Council members attending included Benazir Bhutto '73, LLD '89 (hon.), of Pakistan, Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica, Violeta B. de Chamorro of Nicaragua, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland, Maria Liberia-Peters of the Netherlands Antilles, and Kazimiera Prunskiene of Lithuania.

The Council is directed by Laura Liswood, who came to the Kennedy School last fall after writing Women World Leaders: Fifteen Great Politicians Tell Their Stories.

"While America has not yet produced a woman president, 20 other countries around the world have chosen a woman as their leader," said Liswood. "We should look to these women for inspiration and I am confident that they will play an important role in educating and encouraging prospective women leaders."

As a result of the Council's formal collaborative relationship with the Kennedy School, Council members will benefit from the harnessing of faculty resources during their deliberations, the School's research on leadership in government will be enhanced, and Kennedy School students will have firsthand access to the experience and expertise of women world leaders. Furthermore, case studies on the Council members' tenures as government leaders and executive education programs for women leaders from around the world are in the works.

Approximately 150 faculty, government advisers, and women who hold leadership positions in business, civic, or other organizations participated in the three-day summit.

The event concluded with Council members pledging to counsel newly elected leaders and to motivate young women to seek leadership positions in governments around the world.

"We have unhesistatingly shared our experiences and our vision," remarked Council chair, Her Excellency Vigdís Finnbogadóttir. "We realize that there are not always simple solutions to global problems, but we do believe that women bring their own qualities and judgment to leadership, and by encouraging young women to lead in government in the next century, we can play our part in turning political cynicism into hope and expectation."

Another member of the Council of Women World Leaders will be in Cambridge soon. Mary Robinson LLM '68, former president of Ireland and current United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will speak at the Commencement ceremonies on June 4.