By Manal Abdel Fattah
Ambassador Frank Hartmann, German Ambassador to Cairo, participated in a celebration organized by the Mexican Embassy in Cairo, today, on the occasion of International Women’s Day and Egyptian Women’s Day, to distribute the “Pioneers of Change” awards for the fourth year in a row, in cooperation with the embassies of Canada and Sweden, in addition to the Czech Republic, France, and Germany.
During the ceremony, 12 distinguished Egyptian women were honored and given the “Champions of Change” award. The German Embassy in Cairo and its partners appreciated the contributions of pioneers in the field of gender equality and celebrated the social, economic and political achievements that brought about changes for prominent Egyptian women before International Women’s Day.
Ambassador Frank Hartmann personally handed over the awards to Ms. Names Saarnos, founder of the Ehki Network, and Ms. Salwa El-Laqani, founder of the Free Nile store, who were nominated by the German Embassy.
The ambassador said, in his speech: “The more different and diverse we are, the more we can achieve together, and that is why Germany follows a feminist foreign policy.”
He added: Today’s “Heroes of Change” highlighted, through their contributions in many fields, the importance of empowering girls and women to shape their societies and participate fully, whether through social media or community activity. They are an inspiration to us all.”
Ambassador Hartmann also honored the young participants in the final of the poetry competition held online, “Dream, Think, Hebrew,” which was organized by the German Embassy, and they were Darim Hani, Jana Sharif, and Hajar Ali.
The ambassador explained that their poetic artistic works are innovative, inspiring, and reflect the fears and dreams of their generation.
The ambassador said that Germany follows a feminist foreign policy that puts those affected at the heart of its concerns. During her first visit to Egypt, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said succinctly, “Women’s rights are the basis of the state of our societies. Their rights are the standard against which we must measure all our freedoms and safety.”
To address the complex challenges we face today – in climate, social, economic or political development – our policies must be shaped by diverse voices from all segments of society, he continued. Where equality is achieved, societies are more peaceful, just, sustainable and economically successful than societies in which women are excluded. And others participate.
The ambassador said that women’s voices, ideas, and abilities are a major source for the development and stability of society, and therefore the German Embassy in Cairo supports various projects to empower women, ranging from vocational training and educational campaigns about women’s freedom and rights. He continued: We trust that our Egyptian partners are the best to determine how and where they can be. These activities have a sustainable impact and set an example.
He added: All our projects take into account gender differences, as we notice their impact on women and men differently and accordingly support both genders, as we can thus create an environment in which equality prevails between men and women and continues even after the end of the project period.
The “Pioneers of Change” awards were launched in 2020, to honor the contributions of Egyptian gender equality pioneers and their efforts in building a stronger Egypt. The award ceremony is held in conjunction with the celebration of International Women’s Day and Egyptian Women’s Day, and this year’s slogan is “Inspiring Inclusion.”
Louis Dumas, Ambassador of Canada to Cairo, Ivan Yukl, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Cairo, Raphael Martin de Lagarde, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of France in Cairo, Frank Hartmann, Ambassador of Germany to Cairo, Leonora Rueda, Ambassador of Mexico to Cairo, and Hakan Emsgaard, Ambassador of Sweden to Cairo, celebrated. Highlights of the social, economic and political achievements of distinguished Egyptian women, as each of these six countries is long-standing advocates of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
