Second year in a row, AFG College with the University of Aberdeen has celebrated International Women’s Day, aiming to foster greater awareness of the important role that women play within society. 
The event was opened by AFG College chairperson Sheikha Dr Aisha bint Faleh  al-Thani who welcomed the distinguished guests who joined the speakers and audience. 
Sheikha Dr Aisha said, “It is always a privilege and joy for me to participate in events which celebrate and draw on the important role that women play in society. I have, for many years, been a strong advocate for the advancement of women in all roles of the social structure and that, despite the progress that has been made, there is still massive deficits that we, as a society, need to address.” 
This year’s speakers included Al Jazeera English senior news anchor, Nastasya Tay, who spoke about her own experiences of being a journalist and the obstacles she had experienced during her ten years as a roving reporter in hotspots around the world, including war zones and the challenges that female journalists face every day.
Tay said, “At a time when humanity is facing such enormous challenges, the only way we can move forward in confronting them is together – with empathy and compassion. The only way we find those is by changing the conversation, including everyone and especially women and recognising that strength can be in many different places.”
AFG College/University of Aberdeen graduate,  Khulood al-Khori who recently graduated with a degree in business management spoke about the struggles she experienced when she began at the national and international level in the equestrian endurance racing field. Khulood said, “Women not only make up for 50% of the population, but also 50% of the world’s potential. It is essential that we recognise their importance, their power and their achievements.”  
Other guest speakers at the event included Sheikha Athba bint Thamer al-Thani, chief executive director and adviser to chairman of Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC), who spoke about the empowerment of women and the difficulties that she experienced when she began working in a non-traditional female working environment, for which she was duly recognised. 
Microsoft Qatar country manager, Lana Khalaf gave an inspirational speech regarding the challenges of attracting young females into the growing IT sector in the Mena region and how Microsoft is developing unique ways of engaging female talent from an early age.