“Power of Her, Future of Her” A High-Level Dialogue on Educational Equality and Global Leadership Successfully Held in Beijing

On August 20, the special dialogue event titled “Power of Her, Future of Her” – A High-Level Dialogue on Educational Equality and Global Leadership was successfully held in Beijing. The event was co-organized by the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union and the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association (SNAEIA). Diplomatic envoys to China from Ethiopia, Benin, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Namibia, Senegal, and Tunisia, along with representatives of international organizations, gathered to engage in in-depth discussions on topics including educational equality, women's leadership, and China-Africa educational cooperation.

The event featured addresses by distinguished guests, including Rita Bissoonauth, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union; Chen Lu, Secretary-General of the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association; and H.E. Franck Adjagba, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin to the People’s Republic of China.

In her speech, Chen Lu emphasized that SNAEIA will remain committed to advancing women's educational development, promoting the establishment of regular mechanisms for women's education exchanges, and facilitating connections with high-quality international educational resources. The association aims to support women educators both in China and abroad in strengthening their professional competencies and broadening their global outlook. She expressed the association's readiness to deepen collaboration with UNESCO and other partners, implement more public-benefit educational programs, and deliver tangible outcomes for women educators through mutual learning and practical cooperation.

The keynote session brought together a range of Chinese and international speakers, including H.E. Mapaballo Lydia Miele, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the People’s Republic of China; Lyu Yingfei, President of Changchun Finance College; Mame Sylla, spouse of the Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to China and President of the Association Act for Humanitarian Action; and He Ying, President of Shanghai Donghai College. Drawing on their research expertise and hands-on experience, they shared diverse perspectives on educational equality and women’s leadership, exploring pathways for advancing women's education and strengthening leadership capacities—offering valuable insights for deepening cooperation in these fields.

The thematic panel discussion was structured around two key topics: "Bridges of Cooperation: China-Africa Friendly Relations and the Development Potential of Her Education" and "Leading by Example: Women Shaping the Future of China-Africa Educational Cooperation." Ambassadors to China from Ethiopia, Burundi, Namibia, and Tunisia, together with representatives from several Chinese institutions—including Jiangsu Food & Pharmaceutical Science College, Shandong Polytechnic, Hunan Technical College of Railway High-Speed, and Guangdong Polytechnic of Water Resources and Electric Engineering—took part in the dialogue. Grounded in the broader vision of China-Africa friendship, participants engaged in open and dynamic exchanges on opportunities for women's educational development, shared practical outcomes, and discussed a shared vision for future collaboration.

Subsequently, Zhao Yuling, Deputy Secretary-General of SNAEIA, unveiled the “Power of Her, Future of Her” Cooperation Initiative which is designed to establish a platform for China-Africa exchange and cooperation in women's education, fostering sustained and practical collaboration among all stakeholders in the areas of women's education, talent cultivation, and public-interest partnerships.

During the certificate presentation segment, Ms. Bissoonauth, Mr. Salifou, Secretary-General Chen Lu, and Deputy Secretary-General Zhao Yuling jointly presented certificates to representatives of the participating organizations.

The event opened up new avenues for China-Africa cooperation in women’s education, with the official launch of the “Power of Her, Future of Her” Cooperation Initiative marking a significant step forward in the collective efforts to advance women’s education and deepen China-Africa educational engagement. Moving forward, SNAEIA will continue to integrate resources, build synergies, and promote the implementation of exchange and cooperation activities, thereby contributing to the professional growth of women educators and the steady, substantive progress of China-Africa educational collaboration.