The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards honor international women leaders in the fields of human rights, economic empowerment, or political reform. The event takes place annually in early spring at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.[1]
The 2009 program was named that year's "Most Inspirational Event" by Washington Life Magazine.[2] The 15th annual Global Leadership Awards were held on March 9, 2016.
Past presenters include Ben Affleck, Christiane Amanpour, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Sheila Bair, Candice Bergen, Wolf Blitzer, Laura Bush, United States Secretary of State and Vital Voices co-founder Hillary Clinton, Sally Field, Honorary Co-Chair Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Angelina Jolie, Avon CEO Andrea Jung, Angelique Kidjo, Nicholas Kristof, Lisa Ling, Time Inc. CEO Ann S. Moore, Suze Orman, Queen Rania of Jordan, Zain Verjee, board member Diane von Fürstenberg, Reese Witherspoon, Brian Williams, and many others.