Asian University for Women Hong Kong benefit raises over HK$7 million to empower female changemakers in Asia

HONG KONG, CHINA -�Media OutReach - 14 June
2019 - Over
HK$7 million was raised at the third annual benefit for the Asian University
for Women in Hong Kong titled “Faces of Change.” The funds will provide 60
one-year scholarships for women from the most marginalized communities in Asia
— including garment factory workers, women from high-conflict zones and
Rohingya refugees — to study at the liberal arts university based in
Chittagong, Bangladesh.

AUW graduate Bayan Salaymeh (Class of 2014) shares her story

 AUW graduates from all over the world join Chief Executive Carrie Lam on stage before her keynote address

More than 400
guests attended the benefit presented by title sponsor Lancôme and main event
sponsor Marriott International at the JW Marriott Ballroom. Chief Executive of
Hong Kong SAR Mrs. Carrie Lam opened the evening with an inspiring keynote
address focused on the need for women’s education and participation in society,
before sharing her personal remarks on the essential qualities necessary for
leadership. Her full
address can be viewed online here.

 

Mrs. Lam was
followed by AUW Graduate Ms. Bayan Salaymeh (Class of 2014) who shared her journey
from Palestine to AUW, to pursuing her masters at Goethe University in
Frankfurt. Committed to becoming an agent for change, Bayan’s determination was
clear in her closing words: “AUW gave me the gift of education. It’s my
responsibility and my honour to use it well and give back to society.”
Storytelling continued with a lively conversation between AUW graduate
Christina Tamang (Class of 2017) and Guneet Monga, followed by remarks of
support from Pansy Ho and Ronnie Chan.

 

The evening climaxed in an exciting live auction presided by
Christie’s Chairman of Asian art Jonathan Stone, where incredible experiences
were sold including a cultural excursion in Bhutan with AUW graduates, an
internship with Nobel Peace Laureate Tawakkol Karman in Istanbul, and a 3-day
internship with Guneet Monga, Executive Producer of the Oscar winning short
documentary “Period. End of Sentence,” on a film set in Mumbai.

 

Thank you to
our Sponsors & Partners

AUW wishes to thank our sponsors and partners who made the benefit
possible: Accenture, Advantage Partners, AIA, Bloomberg, Citi, Ctrip,
Christie’s, Cosmopolitan, Davis Polk, Debevoise & Plimpton, DFS, ERM, FleishmanHillard,
HKEX, Human at Work, Jack Morton, J.P. Morgan, Lancôme, Linklaters, Marriott
International, Mayer Brown, Media OutReach, Morgan Stanley, Point72, Simpson
Thacher & Bartlett, Triangle Associates, UBS, Western Asset Management and
ZTE.

About Asian University for Women (AUW)

Recruiting
from 19 countries in Asia and the Middle East, AUW seeks out high-potential
young women from communities with few opportunities for advancement, and
provides them with the academic, professional, and financial support required
to earn their bachelor’s degrees and to take on change-making roles. Since
opening its doors in 2008, AUW has graduated five classes totaling more than 800
women. Currently, almost 900 students study at AUW; the vast majority of AUW
students are first in their family to attend university, and virtually all
receive full financial aid. About 80% of AUW graduates pursue employment in
their home countries immediately after graduation while the remaining 20%
attend graduate school internationally.  Former AUW students have pursued
graduate studies at a range of institutions including Oxford, Stanford,
Columbia, Brandeis, and Ewha (South Korea). Graduates have gone into careers
with organizations such as Chemists without Borders, Room to Read, Teach for
Nepal, Accenture, Chevron Bangladesh, UNIQLO, and Democracy
International. 

 

To
learn more about Asian University for Women, please visit https://asian-university.org/