Chance to meet world leaders in Copenhagen

Ilhara McIndoe (left) and Casey Brown. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Ilhara McIndoe (left) and Casey Brown. Photo: Peter McIntosh

Two Dunedin women hope to rub shoulders with high-profile female leaders such as Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and singer Annie Lennox during a conference in Copenhagen next week.

St Hilda's Collegiate Year 13 pupil Casey Brown (17) and University of Otago student Ilhara McIndoe (18) are among 10 women who have been selected to represent New Zealand and the Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute at the Women Deliver global conference.

McIndoe said it was the world's largest conference in more than a decade on the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women.

It will bring together up to 6000 leaders, advocates, policymakers, journalists, young people, researchers, and corporate and civil society leaders.

The focus of the conference will be on implementing sustainable development goals focused on girls and women, with a specific focus on health - in particular maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights - and on gender equality, education, environment, and economic empowerment.

Speakers include Crown Princess Mary, Queen Maxima, Miss Clark, Lennox, Melinda Gates and World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan.

McIndoe and Brown said it would be a fantastic to learn from some of the greatest female leaders.

"We're hoping to meet Helen Clark,'' Brown said.

"She's indicated over Twitter that she might be interested in catching up with us. It's going to be amazing.''

Both said they felt honoured to be selected as delegates, particularly Casey, because she was only 17 years old.

"The initial applications were for people who are 18-30. I'm well younger than everyone else. I just turned 17, two weeks ago.''

She said organisers had made an exception to the rules so she could attend.

"I've already been given the nickname, "the baby of the delegation'.''

The pair leave on Tuesday.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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