A Romanian, awarded by Melania Trump
The first lady of the United States, Melania Trump, paid tribute to women around the world during a premiere ceremony organized at the State Department, describing the love of this year’s eight laureates as ‘a powerful catalyst’ in their activity of fighting and supporting women and girls.
The first lady was declared inspired by ‘women who determine the word in the name of justice, even if the voices tremble’ and ‘women who feel motivated to speak on behalf of their community when others remain indifferent’.
« Through their efforts, they urge progress for the whole of humanity, » Melania Trump said during the 19th edition of the International Women of Courage Awards-IWOC).
According to the State Department, the prizes are awarded to women who have demonstrated a courage, strength and exceptional leadership in the defense of peace, justice, human rights and emancipation of women and girls, and not only, often with great personal risks and sacrifices.
« Throughout my life, I have used the power of love as a source of force in difficult times, » confessed Melania Trump. « Love inspired me to embrace forgiveness, to feed empathy and to show courage in the face of unforeseen obstacles, » added the first lady.
Among the laureates was the Romanian Georgiana Pascu, a defender of children and adults institutionalized with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, militating for their disinstitutionalization in the last 25 years, according to the State Department.
« Georgiana is the guard dog that defends the dignity of Romanians whose voices cannot be heard, » said Melania Trump. « She enters without fear in designated units as care centers to save people with disabilities who are kept captive without wanting, » the first lady added. Georgiana Pascu usually appears unannounced and discovers the unimaginable: adults and helpless children, sedated, hungry and, in extreme cases, dying, « she added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he has ‘underlined the importance of protecting women and girls and promoting their welfare (right) American objectives’.
« These happen to be a powerful goal of our president, President Donald Trump, » Rubio said.
He paid tribute to Amit Soussana, an Israeli kidnapped and hostage Hamas on October 7, 2023. After surviving 55 days in captivity and was released, Soussana, according to Rubio, ‘shared details about the sexual violence she endured as a hostage, which allowed her to document.
Soussana said the prize is a ‘honor that I never imagined I would receive and I would have liked to accept it in these circumstances’, describing that the moment is delayed for the Israeli hostages remaining in captivity.
« In captivity, I had no control over my body, no control over my life, » she said. ‘I resisted as well as I could, but it wasn’t enough to stop what happened to me. The darkness was suffocating. However, even in the dark, there was something that I could not take: the power that my mother inspired me, the belief that we must always defend what is correct, regardless of costs, « she said.
The eight this year of this year of the International Prize for Brave Women are: Henriette DA (Burkina Faso), Amit Soussana (Israel), Major Velena Iga (Papua New Guinee), Angelique Songco (Philippines), Georgiana Pascu (Romania), Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit (South Sudan), Namini Wijedasa (Sri) And Amat al-Salam al-Hajj (Yemen), according to the website of the State Department.
