Secretary Clinton was speaking after taking part in a major event at Columbia University in New York, which was jointly hosted by Queen’s, and focused on the role of women in peace building, with a special emphasis on Northern Ireland.

It featured a range of female political leaders including Dame Arlene Foster, Kate Fearon and Monica McWilliams discussing the role of women in peacebuilding, and the event also included an in-conversation with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Secretary Clinton.

Secretary Clinton said: “I have been so impressed by the way that Northern Ireland has enabled women to take their rightful place at the table where decisions are made, or, as we like to say, the room where it happened.

“And look where we are today where the First and Deputy First Minister are women and are making such a positive impression, not just in their own constituencies, but right across the spectrum and far beyond. They are working together for the betterment of the people of Northern Ireland.”

Dame Arlene Foster expressed her support for the university’s programme of events in the USA over the past week, saying: “It's wonderful to see young people come not just into politics but into the public sphere and advocating in the way that they do. And a lot of that is down to the fact the Queen's gives them the space to do it.

“As a former graduate of Queen's and the first female First Minister, I think it's critical for Queen’s to be here and join others who come across to the United States to advocate for Northern Ireland as a place to visit, to study and to invest.”

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said: “I must congratulate Queen’s on the whole initiative. I think the engagement over the St Patrick's period with American business, with American universities, American political life is hugely important.

“In my view, there's an enormously positive future (for Northern Ireland). And Queen’s, as it has been down the generations, is at the heart of that.”

The event marked the end of a series of Queen’s events in the USA in both Washington D.C. and New York City including a Peacebuilding event in Congress and a new partnership between Washington’s Northeastern University and Queen’s University.

Other events included the conferral of Heather MacLachlan Mitchell as an Honorary Doctor of the University for service to communities and the largest in-kind donation Queen’s has received from US tech company Alteryx, of $15million worth of licences to enable staff and students to access free software training and accreditation in data analytics.

 

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