Forbes honors leading women for outstanding achievements

Zawya

19-03-2025

Forbes and Know Your Value hosted the fourth annual Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi from March 5-8, 2025. The event, which was chaired by Know Your Value founder Mika Brzezinski, concluded with the International Women's Day Awards Gala at Louvre Abu Dhabi. The Awards Gala honored leading women and changemakers who were commemorated and celebrated for their outstanding achievements toward breaking glass ceilings and defying societal norms to overcome adversity.
Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, who delivered opening remarks, recognized that the Summit acts as 'a platform to collectively celebrate International Women's Day, recognizing the remarkable achievements of women worldwide.'
Minister Al Kaabi reflected that hosting Forbes 30/50 underscored Abu Dhabi and the UAE's commitment to being 'the stage where extraordinary stories of female leadership can shine brightly and inspire others' through the country's 'firm belief and guiding principle of harnessing the potential of women.' She encouraged attendees to work together to drive program global progress and gender equality through impactful policies, initiatives and conversations that are born locally and resonate globally.
Honorees included:
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Yusra Mardini, Olympic Swimmer & UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador who escaped war-torn Syria at the age of seventeen, was presented the Young Changemaker Award by Huma Abedin.
Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi was presented with the Hometown Heroine Award by ForbesWomen Editor Maggie McGrath for her work in developing regenerative stem cell inhalation therapy work to combat disease.
Lynsey Addario, a war photographer, was commended with the Torch of Freedom Award, honoring her bravery for giving a voice to the voiceless through her photography in conflict-stricken countries. Watch here.
The final award of the night was presented by Mika Brzezinski who commemorated Sheryl Lee Ralph with the Know Your Value Award for her efforts in encouraging women to know their value and worth, while also advocating for HIV/AIDs awareness. Watch here.
Some notable moments from the gala event included:
Macy Andrews, VP of C-BEAM and Chief of Staff for People, Policy & Purpose at Cisco, shared how the event has personally impacted her and her colleagues, reinforcing their commitment to empowering the next generation of women leaders.
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, a local high school that hosted summit attendees for service day earlier in the week, performed a special dance inspired by the British suffrage movement and the power women have in rallying together to fight for their rights.
Peter Rosalita and Zahra Shariff, students of the Department of Culture and Tourism's Mawhibaty program, provided a special closing performance.
Mika Brzezinski, Founder, Know Your Value, Co-Host, Morning Joe, 30/50 Summit Chair; Huma Abedin, Vice Chair, 30/50 Summit, MSNBC Contributor; and Author and Maggie McGrath, Editor, ForbesWomen took the stage to share their own special remarks as leaders of the Summit before presenting awards to the honorees of the evening.
The International Women's Day Gala was an impactful way to close out this year's 30/50 Women's Summit, which focused on creating cross-generational mentorship opportunities to provide leadership, guidance, and insights to women at every stage of their career. The event brought together list makers from Forbes' 30 Under 30 and 50 Over 50 lists, with the mission of forming world-changing alliances.
The Forbes 30/50 Summit was presented by Cisco and Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas as the supporting sponsors and Experience Abu Dhabi as the host partner.
For more information on the 2025 Forbes and Know Your Value 30/50 Summit, click here.
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