The program welcomed 24 students from Australian universities, starting with inspiring talks from European female diplomats who shared their career journeys.

On the second day, participants visited the Press Gallery at Parliament House, where they met Clare Armstrong, a national political editor, providing them insight into career in political journalism.

On the final day, the students gathered in the Lisbon Room at the EU Delegation to present their observations and summarise what they had learned from both the EU and their respective national embassies. They also presented numerous ideas for strengthening EU-Australia relations and enhancing the collaborative public diplomacy efforts of EU Member States in Canberra.

Girls Run the World (GRTW) is a not-for-profit initiative launched in Canberra in 2018. It began with two girls spending a day at the Finnish embassy, offering them a firsthand glimpse into the world of diplomacy. The program’s goal is to bridge the gap between young women and global decision-makers by providing more opportunities to engage in cross-cultural relations, helping to set them up for successful careers in the field. This year, for the first time, European embassies joined forces to organise an EU-coordinated program so the participants could learn how Team Europe operates and what the EU’s role in international relations is.

Many thanks to all participating embassies in Canberra: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

A special mention to the Team Europe diplomats who shared their inspiring stories on the opening day: Ambassador Betty Pavelich, Ambassador Ingrid Dahl-Madsen, Ambassador Elisabeth Koegler, Ambassador Esther Monterrubio Villar, Ambassador Jana Tyrer, Ms Merike Grünthal, Ms Sigrid Sommer, Ms Doris Voorbraak, and Ms Joanna Pocztowska.

We look forward to welcoming the girls next year and continuing to inspire future female leaders through initiatives like GRTW!