Future Leaders Summit

A Cardiff student will represent the United Kingdom at an international event for future leaders organised in conjunction with the NATO Summit.

Hosted by the Atlantic Council, the Future Leaders Summit will serve as a major public diplomacy event to focus global attention on NATO, the United Kingdom, and Wales, and provide a high-profile venue for future and current leaders to engage with one another and the public.

Hannah Iqbal, a PhD student at the School of Social Sciences, was chosen following a competitive application process and will join other young professionals to engage in key discussions related to defence, security and humanitarian issues.

Representing thirty-four countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, the young leaders will be granted exclusive access to high-level leaders at the NATO Summit site.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will deliver the opening keynote address at the event and will preview the official NATO Summit agenda. Delegates will also hear from Deputy Prime Minister of the UK and Lord President of the Council Nick Clegg and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Jean-Paul Palomeros, among other leaders.

Hannah has also been asked to be a panellist alongside the NATO special representative on Women, Peace and Security to speak about issues directly related to her research on the experiences of women and young people who have fled violence and conflict and now reside in the UK.

Hannah said: "I am delighted to have been invited to take part as a UK representative at the Atlantic Council Future Leaders Summit. This summit will bring together young leaders from across the world to discuss the future of NATO and current and emerging global challenges. As delegates, we will develop policy briefings in working groups focused on several current issues.

"The selection process asked applicants to submit CVs alongside two essays, one concerning current security challenges and the other asking what the summit means to us. I applied because of my interest in international relations and expertise around the impact of war on women and children.

"We know that conflict has a disproportionate impact on women and children; as refugees, internally displaced persons or citizens. We also know that women are agents of change and that sustainable peace depends on developing the participation of women at every level.

"This issue will be a key focus for me during the summit and I will be discussing it as a panellist, alongside the NATO special representative for Women, Peace and Security, at a special session on Thursday.

"The summit presents a unique and exciting opportunity to engage with global issues while on Welsh soil and I look forward to representing Cardiff University at this event."

The Future Leaders Summit takes place on Thursday 4 September at the Celtic Manor Resort. There is a live webcast available at www.AtlanticCouncil.org and the delegates can be followed on Twitter with #FutureNATO.