Brooklyn College hosted Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee and women’s economic empowerment leader Thelma Ekiyor on Sept. 22 for a Presidential Lecture Series conversation focused on leadership, peacebuilding, grassroots activism and community development.
The event took place at the Claire Tow Theater and was moderated by Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson.
The program brought students, faculty, staff and community members together to examine how local movements and community leaders can contribute to peace and social change.
Gbowee, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, discussed her work with the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women and played a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s civil war in 2003.
Ekiyor drew on more than two decades of work in international development, philanthropy, impact investing and women’s economic empowerment. Her work has included initiatives focused on strengthening opportunities for women and supporting communities affected by conflict.
The discussion emphasized that peacebuilding extends beyond formal negotiations and depends on community participation, collaboration and leadership. Gbowee and Ekiyor highlighted the contributions of women to rebuilding communities and creating economic opportunities in societies recovering from conflict.
The event also reflected Brooklyn College’s broader emphasis on civic engagement and public dialogue. The Presidential Lecture Series was created to bring students and the wider college community into conversations with leaders whose work addresses social change, leadership and civic life.
For Brooklyn, the event connected a local college audience with experiences from Liberia and other parts of Africa, while creating space for discussion about issues that extend beyond the campus.
The Presidential Lecture Series will continue as part of Brooklyn College’s programming, with future conversations designed to expose students and the broader community to different perspectives on leadership and civic engagement.
