Worldwise Academy: Young Women’s Leadership Forum
Following International Women’s Day on 8 March 2021, our students have engaged in various activities to reflect on the meaning of gender equality, work towards women’s equality while celebrating women’s achievements. A challenged world is an alert world. From challenge comes change.
In line with our strategic goal to Make It Real during our students learning journey, the Worldwise Academy Committee has organised the Young Women’s Leadership Forum for our students to meet and learn from a prestigious panel of executive women from different fields and backgrounds. Students took the chance to ask questions about the panellists’ journey, their inspirations as well as the challenges and biases they have encountered on their road to success.
Head of Senior School Ms Edwards addressed the audience in her opening speech, inspiring young women to be determined and believe in themselves, while young men were reminded of their future responsibility to encourage women to express their views.
Reflecting on the gender-related challenges they had faced, all panellists agreed that what mattered the most was their determination not to give up, their ability to raise their voice and advocate for their own ideas. They advised to celebrate and be proud of one’s differences, to leverage them as strengths rather than weaknesses in order to make the best out of one’s qualities, with Ms Di Zhang concluding that “if you don’t see yourself differently, people won’t treat you differently”. They echoed Ms Edwards’ advice to take risks by encouraging students to become entrepreneurial persons, starting from turning any idea into a reality.
After the plenary discussion, a series of carousels allowed everyone the opportunity to have more personal interactions with each of the panellists.
Our student panel concluded the evening by sharing their take-aways. They unanimously accepted the advice to “be the best version of yourself” by knowing one’s strengths, weaknesses and worth. They acknowledged the importance of doing their own research to understand how to play the game to their advantage and slowly implement changes. They all appreciated the opportunity to be exposed to the professional world to build up their own knowledge.
We would like to sincerely thank our special guests, Ms Márcia Matos, Ms Xuan Liu, Ms Charlotte Smith, Ms Di Zhang, Ms Joyce Zhang, Ms Zilin Zhang for sharing their time, their experience and valuable advice with our students. Specials thanks to our student moderator Andrea C, our translator Olivia W, and panellists Jadelle C, Angelina D, Victoria F, Sunny L, Isaac L, Ella R, Judy W and Helena Z.
