Freedom, Equality, and Democracy: An Albright Institute Presentation

Pedro Pires, the former president of Cape Verde, visits Wellesley today for a public talk at 3:00 p.m. in the Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall Auditorium. Pires, who successfully led Cape Verde as president from 2001-2011 after it gained independence from Portugal, will discuss his country’s transition to democracy. He visits as part of the 2013 Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs. The event is free and open to the public.

Former United States Congressman Barney Frank and Bridgewater State College President Dana Mohler-Faria will offer remarks; Layli Maparyan, the Katherine Stone Kaufmann ‘67 Executive Director of the Wellesley Centers for Women, will moderate the talk; and President H. Kim Bottomly will offer an introduction.

Pires was the 2011 winner of The Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. The award is given to African heads of state who are considered to be exceptional role models for the continent. Recipients are recognized for work developing their countries, lifting people out of poverty, and paving the way for future prosperity and success.

“Cape Verde’s transition to democracy has served as a powerful example to other West African nations,” said Joanne Murray ’81, Director of the Albright Institute. “President Pires’ continuing leadership of the Amilcar Cabral Foundation shows his extended commitment to this effort. His leadership throughout offers a beacon for this year's Albright Fellows class, a group of women who will be among the next generation of world leaders.”

The 2013 Albright Institute class comprises 40 Wellesley College students from 13 countries representing 27 different majors. The women, a select group of juniors and seniors, spend several weeks in January learning to become global leaders from institute faculty, including: Distinguished Visiting Professors Henry (“Hank”) Paulson, the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury, and Wendy Judge Paulson '69, chair emerita of Rare Conservation, an international organization that trains local leaders to inspire conservation in communities around the world; and from former Secretary Albright herself.

President Pires’ talk will be given in Portuguese; translation services will be provided.