This initiative is putting the power in ‘empower’ for the young women of Canberra
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Girls running the world is by no means an outlandish concept – not to Beyonce, and certainly not to Girls Run the World (GRTW).
Each year since 2018, GRTW has inspired and empowered the young women of Canberra with their ‘Embassy Takeover’ program, where two women visit a participating embassy or mission to experience a day in the life of a diplomat. This opportunity allows every participant to have the valuable opportunity to pick the brains of Ambassadors and other diplomatic leaders on the wonderful world of diplomacy, international relations, and cross-cultural collaboration.
This not-for-profit initiative – and subsequently the takeover program – started with two girls spending a day at the Finnish embassy and has since empowered over 250 young women to experience a day in 51 diplomatic missions across the capital. And this year, a staggering 40 women will set out to visit 20 participating Embassies and High Commissions to learn from the best of the best in diplomacy, and one day, hopefully thrive in diplomatic leadership roles themselves.
Founded by Asha Clementi in 2017 and inspired by Plan International’s ‘Girl’s Takeover’ movement, GRTW has a clear vision: to build and see a future where more women will be in senior positions in the diplomatic community and bridge gaps between young women and international decision-makers. You might be wondering how does this initiative aim to achieve this? It’s simple – by presenting more opportunities for young women to engage in diplomacy to set them up for career success in the field.
The local initiative continues to stay true to their vision with their newest program – the ‘Women in Strategic Policy’ program in partnership with the Australian National University’s Defence Studies Centre.
Supported by a Strategic Policy Grant from the Department of Defence, the program will train and support young women to publish in and contribute to Australia’s strategic debate. To make an impact on young women under the age of 35 for the next two years, the program will support the publication of over 40 opinion articles and ten policy papers – all expertly written by the participating women. To kickstart the program, two virtual workshops will run in September and October, and good news – applications are now open and you can easily apply via the GRTW website.
If you are a young woman interested in a career in diplomacy, resonate with this initiative and its programs, or simply looking to feel empowered and inspired, visit girlsruntheworld.com.au to learn more.
