Dear FIS community,

On this March 8, I want to point out two objectives of our Strategic Plan that connect especially well to the International Women’s day.

We are committed, as part of our Diverse and Engaged Community, to lead and deploy in the area of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is an opportunity to remind ourselves that the SDGs go beyond environmental goals, and that SDG#5 relates to gender equality. I am happy to report that our FIS senior leadership intentionally exemplifies parity with five women and five men, and that we also count two women among our four principals.

When we decided to develop an objective around our Spirited and Confident Students around being “culturally French and globally-minded”, the goal was to highlight how French culture can contribute to the greater good in a globalised world and multicultural societies. It is especially striking that this week, France took the unprecedented step to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution. As a French-American citizen myself, I am well placed to appreciate the gap that exists worldwide in this area and to salute the example that France sets for other countries.

I want to thank all the professionals at the school, women and men, for the important role they play daily in modelling, and at times directly teaching gender equality to our students.

Have a great March 8 and a wonderful weekend ahead,