Press Release: Second Guest Lecture Event of the EU Security Watch Spot

The EU Security Watch Spot of the Jean Monnet Project “Enhancing the Debate about Intercultural Dialogue, EU Values and Diversity” of the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Macedonia, organized its second virtual Guest Lecture Event entitled “Women in Diplomacy” with great success, on 16th of December 2020. The Event was conducted in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair “Women, Peace and Security: Building Opportunities and Resilience through Education and Research” of the University of Macedonia.

The Welcome Greeting was delivered by the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts of the University of Macedonia, Professor Athanasios Zervas, Department of Music Science and Art, , who stressed the importance of the issue of women in diplomacy and more importantly, of having these distinguished guests to promote female representation. The Keynote Speaker was Mrs Elizabeth K. Lee, US Consul General in Thessaloniki, who spoke about the role that women have portrayed in diplomacy over the years. A roundtable discussion followed with a number of academics from the Departments of International, European and Area Studies of the Panteion University and International and European Studies of the University of Macedonia, who discussed the subject through various angles. More specifically, Assistant Professor Chara Karagiannopoulou focused on the role of women as diplomatic partners, Assistant Professor Kalliopi Chainoglou discussed the lack of extensive female representation in international organisations and law-making bodies, and finally Assistant Professor Fotini Bellou, Head of the EU Security Watch Spot, addressed the need for the existence of female mediators in all stages of peacemaking procedures.

The event was attended by more than 130 university students, military personnel and subject matter experts. The discussion that followed with the audience highlighted the importance of the continued efforts for more inclusivity to the foreign policy bodies and a more extensive female representation in all spheres of policymaking. It also emphasized the significance of the promotion of the Women, Peace and Security Policy Agenda, in light of the 20th anniversary of the fundamental Resolution 1325.