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Lebanon's First Lady at AIWA Conference

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  • Lebanon's First Lady at AIWA Conference

    ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION
    65 Main St., #3A
    Watertown, MA 02472
    Tel/Fax: 617/926-0171, 781/237-6858
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.aiwa-net.org

    PRESS RELEASE - September 27, 2004
    Contact: Barbara Merguerian

    LEBANON'S FIRST LADY WILL ADDRESS
    AIWA'S GENEVA CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 25

    BOSTON - Mrs. Andree Emile Lahoud, First Lady of the Republic of
    Lebanon, will be the featured keynote speaker at the 4th International
    Conference of the Armenian International Women's Association, which
    will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 24-27, 2004.

    Mrs. Lahoud's address, on the role of women in the Middle East today,
    will take place during the opening plenary session of the conference,
    scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the historic Hotel des Bergues,
    located on Lake Geneva.

    An advocate for women's rights, Mrs. Lahoud issued a statement last
    March on the eve of International Women's Day calling for legislation
    that would guarantee equal rights for women in Lebanon. At the same
    time she hosted a forum on "Arab Women and Armed Conflict" in which
    she summarized gains made by women in the Middle East in recent years
    and called for increased effort to improve the status of women in
    all of the Arab states.

    The First Lady of Lebanon was born in Beirut of Armenian parentage
    (her father was Edouard Armadouny). She studied at the School of
    the Franciscan Sisters in Beirut and then enrolled in the Pedagogic
    Course at the French Cultural Center, also located in the Lebanese
    capital. She is fluent in Arabic, French, and English.

    As wife of the President of Lebanon, General Emile Lahoud, the First
    Lady has a prominent role. She serves as President of the National
    Commission of Lebanese Women, and as Honorary President of several
    organizations, including the School for the Blind and Mute in Baabda,
    and the Lebanese Federation of Scouts and Guides.

    She and her husband have three children: Carine (married to Elias
    Michel Murr), Emile Jr., and Ralph.

    AIWA's 4th International Conference will feature presentations and
    workshops on a broad array of topics touching on women's leadership,
    economic activities, education, health, social relations, culture,
    history, and traditions. In common with the earlier conferences
    (London in 1994, Paris in 1997, and Yerevan in 2000), the gathering
    will provide an opportunity for participants to meet, network, and
    share their ideas with other women from Armenia and all parts of
    the diaspora.

    A special focus of this AIWA conference will be on the role of women
    in diplomacy, international relations, and conflict resolution. A
    tour of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva has been scheduled
    for Tuesday morning, and speakers from the Human Rights Commission
    and other United Nations departments are planned. AIWA has been a
    Non-Governmental Organization with the United Nations in New York
    for over a decade and serves as a roster member of the Economic and
    Social Council.

    Lily Ring Balian of Los Angeles is the chair of the Geneva Conference
    Committee, and the co-chairs are Barbara J. Merguerian and Joy
    Renjilian-Burgy of Boston. Taline Avakian serves as Geneva Coordinator,
    and Hermine Janoyan of Los Angeles is serving as the International
    Coordinator. AIWA's president is Suzanne E. Moranian.

    AIWA membership and events are open to all who share the association's
    goals. Further information about the Geneva conference is available
    by contacting AIWA at 65 Main St., #3A, Watertown, MA, tel/fax:
    617/926-0171, e-mail: [email protected]; web: http://www.Aiwa-net.org.
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