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The Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Premier of the Cayman Islands, has been recognised as one of the 25 Most Outstanding Women Listeners in the World for 2023. This prestigious award, bestowed upon the Premier for her exceptional listening skills and her unwavering commitment to fostering effective communication in the field of politics, was announced by Dr. David McMahan, Executive Chair of the Global Listening Centre, during a gala at the Ritz-Carlton on Saturday, 25 November.

The Premier, who served as the keynote speaker at the event, humbly accepted the award and expressed her gratitude for the recognition. “The art of listening is fundamental to politics, and it is a skill that I have cultivated throughout my 28 years of public service in the Cayman Islands,” said Premier O’Connor-Connolly. “I am deeply honoured to be recognised for my contributions in this regard.”

Mrs. O’Connor-Connolly joined a distinguished group of honourees, including Sahle-Work Zewde, the first female President of Ethiopia; former German Chancellor Angela Merkel; South African politician and humanitarian Graça Machel; and noted Korean journalist, social activist, and politician Park Ji-hyun.

The Global Listening Centre, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting effective listening as a tool for positive change, established the 25 Most Outstanding Women Listeners award to honour women who have made significant contributions to their communities through their exceptional listening skills.

In addition to the Premier’s recognition, other notable Caymanian awardees included the Hon. Franz Manderson, Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service, who received the Listening Legend Award, the Global Listening Centre’s highest honour. This award recognises Mr. Manderson’s unwavering commitment to promoting effective listening through his exceptional contributions to Caymanian society.

Mr. Manderson was unable to attend and Her Excellency, the Governor, Jane Owen received the award on his behalf. The Governor also delivered greetings and revealed the names of the top five women listeners in the field of humanitarian services.

Other notable attendees included, Deputy Premier, Hon. Andre Ebanks, who announced the awardees in the fields of Law, Journalism and Leadership. Hon Sabrina Turner, Minister for Health & Wellness and Home Affairs, Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Minister for Tourism and Ports, Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency and the Hon. Dwayne Seymour, Minister for Border Control and Culture.

Also present at the event was Secretary and founder of the Global Listening Centre, Mr. Sardool Singh and other esteemed executive members such as Ms. Tejinder Kaur, Dr. Paaige Turner, Dr. David McMahan and Dr. Jo-Ann Rolle. GLC member Dr. Delroy Jefferson served at master of ceremonies at the auspicious event.

Mr. Singh extended the Indian shawl of honour to the Governor, the Premier and to French musician Andrea Marsili, who was recognised for her outstanding contributions in the field of music.

To learn more about the 25 Most Outstanding Women in the World Programme and the entire list of 2023 awardees, visit the Cayman Islands Government’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/live/jLosiSxQ_K4?si=fbTcfSlAPjZsEcMJ.