Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — Miriam College’s Graduate Program in International Studies joined leading scholars, advocates, and academic institutions across Southeast Asia at the International Conference on “ASEAN’s Path to Sustainable Development” held on July 11, 2025, at Ho Chi Minh City Law University.
Representing Miriam College, Prof. Lorna Q. Israel, Graduate Program Coordinator, presented a thought-provoking paper titled “A Feminist and Intersectional Approach to Sustainable Development.” In her presentation, she challenged traditional frameworks by centering social equity, gender justice, and lived experience as core elements of sustainability discourse.
Israel emphasized that a feminist and intersectional lens redefines the role of women—not simply as victims of environmental and social injustice, but as active agents of change. “Sustainable development is not just about conserving resources or reducing carbon footprints,” she noted. “It is also about building inclusive and equitable systems that care for both people and the planet.”
Prof. Joel Mark Barredo, faculty member of the Graduate Program, served as moderator during the session, fostering rich dialogue among participants. The conference also brought together member institutions of the Southeast Asian Human Rights Studies Network (SEAHRN), strengthening regional cooperation on issues that lie at the intersection of gender, human rights, and sustainability.
Miriam College’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to advancing transformative, inclusive, and rights-based approaches to sustainable development in the ASEAN region and beyond.
Photo-credits: Joel Mark Barredo
