Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker Emerita, is set to receive the prestigious Sutherland Leadership Award. The award ceremony will occur at a grand dinner in Dublin on April 22nd. The event promises a gathering of more than 600 luminaries from the global business, political, and social sectors.
More than 600 international leaders will attend Dublin’s O’Reilly Hall on April 22nd, 2024. During this event, Nancy Pelosi will be presented with the Sutherland Leadership Award in recognition of her exceptional leadership and public service over her 40-year career.
A trailblazer in American political leadership
Nancy Pelosi was the first woman to hold the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, making her mark in 2007. In 2019, she made history again by regaining this influential role, a feat not achieved in over sixty years.
Pelosi has been a pivotal figure in the Democratic party for two decades, leading the creation of significant laws like the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan. Her notable roles include House Democrats’ leader and the House Democratic Whip. In 2013, her contributions to women’s rights earned her a spot in the National Women’s Hall of Fame, headquartered in Seneca Falls, where America’s women’s rights movement began.
Pelosi has represented San Francisco in Congress for 36 years. Now, as the Speaker Emerita of the House and the Representative for California’s 11th District, she continues to work passionately to cut costs, increase wages, and create more jobs.
During President Biden and Vice President Harris’ tenure, Speaker Pelosi was at the forefront of the House’s legislative endeavours. She helped create and pass the American Rescue Plan.
This crucial law played a significant role in managing the pandemic: it facilitated the vaccination of hundreds of millions of Americans, provided direct help to struggling families, created a substantial number of jobs, offered support to frontline workers like teachers, police officers, and firefighters, and made it possible for children to return to their classrooms safely.
Speaker Pelosi was critical in passing the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This act focuses on improving roads, bridges, ports, water systems, and broadband access throughout the nation, strengthening the middle class.
She was instrumental in the approval of the Build Back Better Act. This vital law has helped lower the cost of prescription drugs, cut down health insurance premiums, combat climate change, and reduce the country’s debt.
Pelosi also played a crucial role in creating the CHIPS and Science Act, a project supported by both main political parties. This act pushes America to become a global authority in producing semiconductors and making scientific breakthroughs.
Sutherland Leadership Award celebrates global leaders
In 2018, the Sutherland Family created the Sutherland Leadership Award. This award honours international leaders who reflect the values of a great European and Irish figure, Peter Sutherland.
Since its establishment, The Sutherland Leadership Award has seen remarkable recipients. These include Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission; Hank Paulson, the former US Secretary of the Treasury; José Manuel Barroso, the previous President of the European Commission; Mario Draghi, who has served as both the President of the European Central Bank and Prime Minister of Italy; and Louise Richardson in 2023, the former Vice Chancellor of Oxford University and President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Ian Hyland announced Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s special recognition with the Sutherland Leadership Award. He explained that her solid and influential international leadership, especially in advocating for women’s rights, has set her apart as a unique public servant, patriot, and global citizen. He believed Peter Sutherland, for whom the award is named, would have been proud to see Pelosi receive such an honour.
