Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture led the first introductory meeting of the All Women Ambassadors’ Group in New Delhi today in a unique initiative. The gathering was attended by all-female ambassadors to India, spouses of male ambassadors, and female charge d’affaires of all embassies. Female personnel from the Ministries of External Affairs and Culture were among the other participants. To commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the event was arranged jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of External Affairs.
The motivation to form this organization stems from a strong desire to realize the global idea of sisterhood and stand in solidarity with and for one another. H.E. Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Ambassador of Finland to India, presented the Minister with a request to organize an All-Women Ambassadors’ Group.
Given the lack of female participation in international diplomacy, the founding of the grouping is extremely significant. The group’s goal is to gather insight into female leadership and gender equality in the governmental and private sectors through regular meetings and debates.
Smt. Lekhi emphasized the value of this network in terms of facilitating communication and creating a supportive web for all Women Ambassadors to India. Smt. Lekhi spoke on gender equality, which she believes is not only a basic human right, but also an essential foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and long-term world.
Lekhi emphasized the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5
She also emphasized the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, which is Gender Equality through Women Empowerment, in order to create a more equitable and inclusive society. The event also gave all of the Ambassadors a taste of Indian culture, thanks to cultural acts prepared by the Ministry of Culture.
Padma Shri Smt. Shovana Narayan, a Kathak virtuoso, gave a stunning dance performance, which was followed by a presentation by Papiha Desai and a dance ensemble on “Dances of India,” which highlighted the kaleidoscopic richness of Indian dance traditions such as Garba, Dandiya, and Giddah, among others.
In the context of the just finished Navaratri celebrations, Smt. Lekhi emphasized the importance of the timing of the founding of the All-Women Ambassadors’ Group. She also gave the Ambassadors information on the festival’s rituals and practices. All Ambassadors at the event were fed special Navratri cuisine to give them a taste of India’s culinary cultural heritage. The entire event was organized as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which honors India’s 75th anniversary of independence.