Secretary of State John Kerry, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former First Lady Laura Bush will share the stage at Georgetown University at 10 a.m. on November 15 for a symposium addressing opportunities and solutions for sustaining the significant progress Afghan women and girls have made during the past 10 years.

The “Advancing Afghan Women: Promoting Peace and Progress in Afghanistan” event will also focus on how to work together with Afghans to protect and expand such progress.

The event will be co-sponsored by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security; the George W. Bush Institute; the U.S. Afghan Women’s Council; and the U.S. Alliance in Support of the Afghan People. Former Secretary Clinton and former First Lady Bush are Council co-chairs.

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah will also speak at the symposium. In addition, international officials and representatives from the U.S. and Afghan Governments and civil society will attend the event.

The event is open to the press and will begin at 10:00 a.m. in Gaston Hall at Georgetown University.

Secretary Kerry’s remarks will be streamed live at www.state.gov

Pre-set time for still and video cameras: 7:30 a.m. from Healy Hall.

Final access time for journalists: 9:10 a.m. from Healy Hall.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver's license, passport).

For further information, please contact the Department of State Office of Press Relations at (202) 647-2492 or Rob Mathis at rwm33@georgetown.edu or by phone at (202) 687-4328.