Speakers inspire hope and defiance at the 2025 Hillary Rodham Clinton award ceremony
Melanne Verveer asks the awardees what inspires their activism. Photo via Anushka Tadikonda
JONNIKA KWON : On Oct. 14, 2025, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to Georgetown’s campus to recognize the efforts of women across the globe who are fighting to safeguard democracy. The annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards were hosted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security.
After an introduction from Ambassador Meelane Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, Secretary Clinton took to the podium. She opened by recognizing 2025 as the 30-year anniversary of the 1995 Beijing conference on human rights where she famously declared that “women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights.” Clinton highlighted the need for continued progress towards this ideal and emphasized the importance of having women present at the decision making table during the peacemaking process because “when women are oppressed, democracy falters.” While clear-eyed about the challenges that lie ahead, Clinton urged her audience to continue defending the ideals of democracy. “The rise of authoritarianism is not a foregone conclusion”, she declared.
Maria Ressa, an investigative journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was the first awardee. She was given an introduction by Jon Stewart, who was effusive with his praise and described Ressa as a “source of light” in these uncertain times because she tells the truth but in a way that re-energizes people. In her remarks, Ressa echoed Clinton’s point that giving up is not an option highlighting every person’s responsibility to “hold the line.” She urged everyone to take action asserting that, “if you are standing still, you’re not doing enough.” Finally, she ended by impressing on her audience their own agency. “The best part – it is historic,” she said when speaking of the present moment, “what happens next is all up to us.”
Anne Applebaum, an American journalist and historian, was the second awardee. She was recognized by Verveer as the foremost expert on the danger of communism, and for her reporting on the implications of Russia’s war on Ukraine, where she has consistently argued that the West hadn’t adequately responded to Putin’s aggression. When imparting her advice, Applebaum urged the audience not to yield to pessimism, expressing frustration with the Americans who believe they can’t do anything to make a difference. “You have so much liberty and so much opportunity. There are so many things that you can do,” she said. Given this reality, “pessimism is irresponsible [because] that’s what they want you to feel.”
The third group that Clinton recognized were the student protestors in Bangladesh who successfully forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign in Aug. 2024, following anti-government protests that left 1,400 protestors dead. Accepting the award on behalf of all the student organizers was Tanjina Tammim Hapsa, a lead coordinator of the protests. Hapsa and the rest of the student protestors were instrumental in bringing peace to the streets following the government’s violent crackdown on the student demonstrations last summer, and Hapsa described how the suffering of women motivates her to take action and mobilize others. She wants women to reclaim their dignity and to give them hope, especially given the wave of Gen Z protestors currently forcing regime change across the world.
The final group of awardees were the female political prisoners in Venezuela, attempting to overthrow dictator Nicolas Maduro. Verveer shared how initially, Clinton wanted to recognize Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the country’s main opposition parties, for opposing the corrupt Maduro regime. However, in a letter to Georgetown’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Machado explained that she wanted to “shed a bright light on” the many women in Venezuela who are facing blatant human rights violations and gender-based violence for their work fighting for democracy, rather than just herself. Accepting this recognition were several relatives of those currently being held hostage and a former prisoner. In a plea to the audience, one of the daughters of a political prisoner spoke bluntly, pleading them to “use [their] platforms and networks to keep the situation in Venezuela on top,” and to “please don’t forget the situation of political prisoners.”
Though coming from vastly different backgrounds, all four awardees imparted a similar message, urging the audience to remain hopeful. When speaking on the role of women in upholding democratic institutions, Secretary Clinton shared this powerful message: “women standing up and speaking out become a very powerful force”.
Jonnika Kwon ‘29 is studying public policy in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is from Seattle, Washington.