The U.S. Department of State’s “Women Leaders: Promoting Peace and Security” exchange program will bring 85 participants from around the world to the United States from September 8-26. Women leaders from government ministries, security sectors, and civil society organizations will explore how women can advocate for peace, promote stability, and improve security conditions in their communities.

The initiative supports the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security which calls for the empowerment of women as equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace in countries threatened and affected by war, violence, and insecurity. The participants will also explore how they can better lead conflict mediation and community transformation efforts.

The participants will meet with government, business and non-profit organization leaders across the United States and discuss ideas to impact their communities. The program opens in Washington, D.C., where the participants will meet with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell, and other officials at the State Department. Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco will meet with participants at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Participants will then break into smaller groups to visit two additional cities before reuniting for closing sessions in Chicago. Through meetings, workshops, site visits and roundtable discussions, the participants will examine essential leadership skills needed to balance divergent social demands and interests when confronting political, social, and economic challenges.

The “Women Leaders: Promoting Peace and Security” program is an initiative of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. For media inquiries, please contact eca-press@state.gov.