Meghan Markle quotes the Dalai Lama in a speech to young girls around the world
The Duchess of Sussex was among the speakers at the Girl Up Leadership Summit, which was held digitally from July 13-15. And encouraged young women around the world to fight inequalities by advocating their faculties of "compassion".
She didn't exactly stop working during the lockdown. But after having distributed incognito meals to the most disadvantaged, and participated in numerous videoconferences with (or without) her husband, Meghan Markle returned to the stage during the annual edition of the Girl Up Leadership Summit, which took place from July 13 to 15. A virtual stage can be heard: for three days, prestigious speakers followed one another to address, through interposed screens, the issues of empowerment, social justice and gender equality with a young female audience.
The organization announced Meghan Markle's participation via a Tweet published on July 7: “The present is feminine! But don't take it for granted. Hear advice from Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, for girl leaders around the world as she takes the stage for the Girl Up Leadership Summit virtual edition. "
The present is female! 💫 But don’t take our word for it. Hear Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex’s advice for global girls leaders when she takes the stage at our @GirlUp Leadership Summit, happening virtually July 13-15! Register here 🎟: https://t.co/YZT6jAXw2E #GirlsLead20
— Girl Up (@GirlUp) July 7, 2020
A call for "compassion"
During the event, the Duchess of Sussex called on participants to stand up to injustice, emphasizing that young women are the key to global change if they help each other "build each other". “You have to challenge leaders and leaders around the world to fight racial injustice, gender inequality, gun violence,” said Meghan Markle. Those who find themselves in the places of power, from lawmakers to world leaders, all of these people depend on you more than you depend on them. And they know it, ”she continued.
Prince Harry's wife also insisted on the notion of compassion, saying that all struggles to bring about social change must be done "with kindness" and on the need to use your emotions to do something positive. Meghan Markle had the opportunity to use a quote from the Dalai Lama: “Compassion is the radicalism of our time”. "It means seeing the pain and suffering of others and knowing that it is our duty to try to help alleviate it."
Meghan Markle then vowed to continue to encourage all young women who are leading a fight for social change, and also offered the support of Prince Harry and their son Archie.
Prestigious guests
Among the "guests" of the summit were present the Duchess of Sussex, therefore, but also Michelle Obama. The two women have met on several occasions: Meghan Markle notably came to greet the former first lady in 2018 and 2019, during her visit to London for the promotional tour of her book, Becoming. The Sussexes also recently brought in the same communications agency as the Obamas, Harry Walker, to represent them.
Other speakers from all walks of life also spoke: Facebook president Sheryl Sandberg, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, singers Chloe and Halle, actress and TV presenter Jameela Jamil, as well as Nadia Murad, winner. of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.
Established by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, the Girl Up organization "aims to empower girls, promote their rights and provide them with the opportunity to become leaders" around the world. Girl up estimates that it has impacted the lives of 65,000 young women in nearly 320 countries.
