Puebla Celebrates Women as Agents of Change. Iberoamericanas FHC on the road to UN Women
- Editorial
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Puebla, Mexico, July 17, 2025 — The iconic International Museum of the Baroque served as the stage for a landmark event that brought together leading women from Ibero-America and key figures from the educational and social sectors. Marking the 40th anniversary of the emblematic book Las Niñas Bien by Guadalupe Loaeza, the organization InterAlcaldes FHC, in collaboration with Iberoamericanas FHC, hosted a gathering that signals the start of an ambitious international project aimed at the United Nations.
The event was organized by FHC Internacional in partnership with the Hispanic Communities Council, FHC USA, FHC Netherlands, and the PEPP Foundation, with the purpose of establishing the Mexico chapter of Iberoamericanas FHC— a collective made up of women change-makers from the 22 countries that comprise Ibero-America. This initiative aligns with a broader strategy to integrate with UN Women, focusing on three key objectives: protecting the Spanish language, promoting Ibero-American culture and arts, and advancing economic equality for vulnerable women.
A moving highlight of the evening was a collective reading of Las Niñas Bien, paying tribute to its author, Guadalupe Loaeza, whose work has become a critical cultural reference in Mexican society. Women from various professional sectors participated in the reading, reaffirming the transformative role of women in contemporary societies.
Gabriela Castillo and Lulu Báez, who hosted the event, emphasized the importance of amplifying women's leadership not only through literature but through active participation in decision-making processes at both local and international levels. “Today we begin a movement that transcends borders, one that aims to influence public policy in municipalities and build an internationally recognized gender agenda,” Castillo stated.
A major highlight was the presentation of the InterAlcaldes FHC Women's Chapter, a new division within the binational platform InterAlcaldes, created to unite female municipal leaders. This chapter will consist of mayors, councilwomen, public officials, and women representing migrant communities, with the objective of fostering networks of support, training, and increased visibility for women in local governance.
Joel Ceja, General Director of InterAlcaldes, underscored the importance of promoting gender-focused public policies from the municipal level, especially within the context of regional economic integration and binational cooperation. During his speech, Ceja presented a special award on behalf of InterAlcaldes and FHC Internacional to Dr.
Enrique Navarro, Rector of the Universidad Santander and Vice President of the FHC International Administrative Council. This award recognized Dr. Navarro’s commitment to educational advancement, particularly his active role in providing undergraduate scholarships to students from underserved municipalities.
The event in Puebla marks the first stage of the founding process for Iberoamericanas FHC. According to the roadmap shared, the Mexican committee will be consolidated throughout 2025, followed by the opening of a call for women leaders from across Ibero-America. In May 2026, The Hague in the Netherlands will host the founding assembly of this organization, with the goal of formally joining UN Women, positioning itself as a global benchmark for women's participation from the local to the international level.
InterAlcaldes FHC and its international partners have a clear objective: to build a permanent platform that promotes equity, cultural identity, and the economic empowerment of women, connecting the efforts of Hispanic diasporas, Ibero-American communities, and municipal governments. The event in Puebla not only celebrated Las Niñas Bien as a literary milestone but also inaugurated an unprecedented chapter in gender diplomacy with Ibero-American roots and a global reach.
Written by: Editorial
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