Montréal, Québec, October 15, 2010 – Ana Palacio, the first woman to serve as Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister and a Carnegie Corporation of New York trustee, will be inducted into the International Women’s Forum Hall of Fame today during the organization’s annual World Leadership Conference.
Each year the International Women’s Forum (IWF) honors trailblazing women who have made a tremendous contribution to their fields of endeavor and have made a significant difference in advancing women’s leadership. Other 2010 inductees are The Right Honourable Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, PC, the first woman to ascend to this post; Mary Simon, OC, OQ, National Inuit Leader of Canada; and Julie Payette, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut.
Commenting on Ana Palacio’s award, Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York said, “We at Carnegie Corporation of New York are honored that Ana Palacio, one of the most indefatigable members of our Board of Trustees, has received this much-coveted and well-deserved award. On behalf of the Corporation’s staff, Trustees, and management, we salute her and her many accomplishments.”
The Honourable Ana Palacio was the first woman to serve as Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister from 2002 to 2004. As Foreign Minister, Palacio was an outspoken proponent of the United States-led invasion of Iraq, to which her government, led by former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, contributed 1,500 troops. After leaving office, she was appointed Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group.
Palacio, a lawyer by profession specializing in international and European Union law, arbitration, and mediation, is Founding Partner of Palacio y Asociados in Madrid. Prior to her position as Minister, she served for eight years as a Member of the European Parliament. During this time, Palacio played a leading role in the drafting and legal discussions surrounding the reform of European Treaties. She chaired the Legal Affairs and Internal Market Committee and the Justice and Home Affairs Committee and was elected by her peers to chair the Parliament’s most senior body for the coordination of its legislative work - the Conference of Committee Chairmen.
In 2001, Palacio was described by the Wall Street Journal as “Europe’s Lawyer.” Palacio served as a Member of the Spanish Parliament where she chaired the Joint Committee of the two Houses for European Union Affairs. She was a Senior Vice-President for International Affairs of Areva, a French nuclear energy company after her tenure at the Bank. In June 2010, her consulting and law firm initiated a strategic partnership with the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, to provide guidance to businesses, associations, and non-profit organizations on the opportunities and challenges presented in operating globally. With a specific focus on servicing clients throughout the European Union and Latin America, the firms also provide advice on entry and growth strategies in emerging markets. Palacio has received various awards and decorations, and is currently a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of the European Union, the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Board of the Atlantic Council of the United States. She will address the IWF’s Closing Luncheon: “Raising the Bar/An Opportunity for Greatness.”
Past honorees include Isabel Allende, famed Chilean Author; Maya Angelou, American Writer and Performer; Roberta Bondar, Canada’s First Woman Astronaut; Kim Campbell, former Canadian Prime Minister; Gloria Estefan, Singer and Humanitarian; Ella Fitzgerald, American Jazz Artist; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, US Supreme Court; Katharine Graham, Chairman of the Board, The Washington Post Company; Audrey Hepburn, International Film Star; Judith Jamison, Artistic Director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Billie Jean King, Sports Legend; Susan Love, Breast Cancer Research pioneer; Clare Booth Luce, Author/Stateswoman; Rosa Parks, Mother of the Civil Rights Movement; Sally Ride, U.S.Astronaut; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland; Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Great Britain; and Barbara Walters, Journalist.
About International Women’s Forum
The International Women’s Forum is a membership organization comprised of more than 5,000 women leaders, experts in their fields, from 24 nations on five continents. IWF is a one-of-a-kind organization of singular standing in the world today that furthers dynamic leadership, leverages global access, and maximizes opportunities for women to exert their influence. For more information on IWF, please visit www.iwforum.org. The International Women’s Forum Canada, the World Leadership Conference host forum, includes 400 preeminent women members from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.