Women, diplomacy and leadership
Apr 2, 2026 — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Dialogues and Insights lecture series is back this spring. The first event will highlight women in diplomacy and the decisive role they play in international institutions. It will foster in-depth reflection on the contribution of women to foreign policy in a constantly shifting global environment, and on the importance of their involvement in defining major international policy directions.
The Dialogues and Insights lectures feature outstanding speakers from every walk of life who share their expertise and thoughts on complex topics relevant to the academic community.
Women in diplomacy: Challenges, successes and insights
This discussion between the University’s president and women ambassadors from five different countries will highlight their careers, challenges and successes in contemporary diplomacy.
Through stimulating exchanges and inspiring testimony, the panelists will discuss inclusive governance and leadership strategies from a feminine perspective.
This is a unique opportunity to be inspired, exchange ideas, and strengthen the commitment of the next generation of leaders and diplomats to gender equality and inclusion at the international level.
Panelists
H.E. Tjorven Bellmann
Ambassador of Germany to Canada
Tjorven Bellmann has been Germany’s ambassador to Canada since September 2024; she serves in this position for alternating eight-month periods with her husband, Matthias Lüttenberg. Before her appointment, she was assistant deputy minister at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, where she oversaw bilateral relations with Canada, the United States, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as with international organizations such as the G7, NATO, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. She has served in Tel Aviv and Tehran, and in various roles in the field of security policy, and has been awarded the “Lithuanian Diplomacy Star” and the Polish “Bene Merito”. Her academic background is in Islamic studies and European political studies.
H.E. Shazelina Binti Zainul Abidin
High Commissioner for Malaysia to Canada
Shazelina Binti Zainul Abidin is the current High Commissioner for Malaysia to Canada. She has served in Washington, D.C., at the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations in New York, and as Malaysia’s ambassador to the Republic of Senegal. She holds an undergraduate degree in law and politics, a master’s degree in international and European politics, and a doctorate in political science. She is also an honorary Fellow of the University of Sheffield, a member of the international advisory board of the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, and an assistant professor at UCSI University. She loves reading and travel, and has led several ministerial departments, including the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, where she trained a new generation of diplomats.
H.E. Souriya Otmani
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Canada
Souriya Otmani is Morocco’s ambassador to Canada; after graduating from the Faculty of Law, University of Mohammed V. in Rabat, she garnered over 35 years of diplomatic experience. She worked in various diplomatic positions in Vienna and Stockholm before serving as ambassador in Prague and as consul general in Montreal. Souriya Otmani has represented Morocco in over 40 countries and taken part in several UN General Assemblies. As an expert in cultural diplomacy, she defends sustainable development, the integration of women, and the fight against organized crime, all while playing an active role in several diplomatic groups in Ottawa. Her awards include the International Culture Prize and the Trophée de la Femme africaine dynamique, reflecting her commitment to promoting Morocco.
H.E. Sabah Nizar Al-Rafie
Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Canada
Sabah Nizar Al-Rafie was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Canada in 2023. Since 1999, she has devoted her career to diplomacy, international co-operation and public service.
She has served in key diplomatic postings in Vienna, London and Jeddah, and represented Jordan in international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and United Nations agencies based in Vienna. In Amman, she held senior positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, including spokesperson and director of the Media and Information Department, as well as director of the Administrative Development Unit. She also served in the Office of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah at the Royal Hashemite Court.
Ambassador Al-Rafie holds a master’s in diplomatic studies from the University of Malta and a bachelor’s in industrial engineering from the University of Jordan.
By participating in this event, you agree to be photographed and filmed, and you authorize the University of Ottawa to use these images in print, digital, video or electronic formats for promotional or archival purposes. For more information, email [email protected].
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