Ewha Womans University conferred an honorary doctoral degree in politics on Ertharin Cousin, the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme. President Kim Sun-Uk stated, “Ewha has decided to award an honorary doctoral degree to Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, who has made endeavors to resolve global poverty issues with a focus on ensuring food security and taken the initiative in overcoming poverty through the empowerment of women.”

 
In her acceptance speech, Executive Director Cousin said, “I am greatly honored to be awarded this honorary doctoral degree by Ewha Womans University, which has produced leaders in a vast range of fields as Korea’s foremost institution for higher education for women.” She also added, “I express my deepest gratitude to Ewha and its efforts to help our world head for a better direction.”

After the conferment ceremony, a signing ceremony was held to advocate the Zero Hunger Challenge, a global initiative promoted by the WFP to fight hunger under the slogan of “Hunger Can Be Eliminated in Our Lifetimes.” Ewha has become the first university in Korea where the WFP held a signing event for the Zero Hunger Challenge.