It is with immense joy and honour that we welcome you to the 9th International Conference on the Future of Women, themed "Feminist Perspectives in Glocal Contexts." I extend warm greetings to all participants—organizers, keynote speakers, presenters, and attendees. The Future of Women Conference holds a special place in my heart. As Chair for the ninth consecutive year, each gathering reaffirms my deep commitment to this platform and strengthens my appreciation for the International Institute of Knowledge Management (TIIKM), especially Mr. Isanka and the entire TIIKM team, whose dedication drives this initiative forward.
Over the years, I have come to recognize that the participants here are bound by a shared passion for transformation—challenging inequities and discrimination in all their forms, both locally and globally. Adrienne Rich, in "Notes Toward a Politics of Location," reminds us that feminist politics is about "locating the grounds from which to speak with authority." Through this conference, we seek to cultivate a culture that not only voices opposition to sexism, racism, and all forms of discrimination but also celebrates those who stand firmly against them. We encourage building relationships grounded in mutual respect and solidarity among all genders—men, women, and non-binary individuals alike. As Nancy Fraser powerfully articulates in "Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics," the future we envision for women requires profound changes in representation, redistribution, and recognition—shifts that will redefine identities for all. Our theme’s focus on Glocal Feminism underscores the necessity of reimagining feminist principles and practices to meet challenges from both local and global perspectives. The 9th FOW Conference offers us a vibrant opportunity to learn from the diverse struggles related to women, gender, sexuality, and queer/non-binary identities around the world. It is a space for reigniting our righteous indignation, galvanizing our energies, and celebrating hard-won achievements. Feminist decolonial scholarship continues to uncover the global histories of multiple colonisations, systemic oppressions, and imperialisms. Today, more than ever, we need coalitions that transcend borders—coalitions committed to equality, ecological justice, Indigenous rights, and queer/non-binary inclusion. Such visions must be integrated into new pedagogies, inspiring social transformation at home, in our communities, workplaces, and governance. Through presentations, panels, and storytelling sessions, this conference reaffirms our shared aspiration: to challenge and change entrenched power structures between the sexes, moving toward social justice and true participatory parity, as Fraser reminds us in Fortunes of Feminism (2013). Storytelling remains at the heart of this transformation. As Hannah Arendt emphasized in The Human Condition (1958), storytelling binds us together, helps us find common ground, and reclaims the public sphere.
I also warmly invite you to become a part of AAAWGS. Our association is committed to training, scholarship, activism, and policymaking, cantering gender and sexuality as pivotal lenses for societal change. We emphasize an intersectional approach, recognizing that race, ethnicity, class, ability, nationality, and religion are essential to any meaningful analysis of gender and sexuality. I warmly welcome you to the 9th Future of Women Conference. I eagerly look forward to your voices, your insights, and your dreams. Let us come together to dialogue, debate, imagine, and build a future of equality for generations to come.