AUK Celebrates International Women’s Day
25th Mar 2019 | by the Department of PR & Marketing
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) marked International Women’s Day by exhibiting a gallery of influential international and local female figures. The gallery was showcased across the campus’ recreational area and was followed by a lecture by prominent Kuwaiti female figures who spoke about the roles of Kuwaiti women in society This event was initiated and supported by the Office of Student Life and was open to the AUK community.
The lecture discussed the evolving roles of Kuwaiti women in modern society with guest speakers Ekbal Behbehani, a member of the Kuwait Handicap Society where she is active in charity and volunteer work; as well as Balsam Al-Ayoub, who is an internationally acclaimed athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist.
They spoke about their volunteering and athletic success stories and challenges in relation to female empowerment. They highlighted the significance of believing in oneself and in the ability and willingness to contribute to positive change in the community and the world. Al-Ayoub also discussed the role of culture by saying, “It’s important to respect culture and traditions, and work in a way that allows people to accept the things you do. You can’t do things by force if you want long-term results.”
In noting the significance of recognising this day with the AUK community, the event’s organizer Lama Abdo noted, “We care about educating our students about what’s happening around us. When women feel that they are empowered, it can have a great impact on families, society, and countries in all their life aspect from education, economy, growth, and development.”
Guest speakers Ekbal Behbehani and Balsam Al-Ayoub being honored after their lectures at AUK