OTTAWA, May 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) is thrilled to announce that our annual gala honouring our Global Citizen Award 2024 Laureate, Manjit Minhas, will be held on October 15 in Toronto.
This award recognizes Canadians who have demonstrated leadership in their communities and beyond to promote the mission and mandate of the United Nations. Ms. Minhas commented, “I am incredibly honoured to be a Global Citizen Laureate and welcome the opportunity to help bring attention to UNA-Canada's work through our shared commitment to the UN goal of gender equality. It’s a focus of much of my charity work, such as working with YW Calgary to raise $50 million for a crisis shelter for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.”
Venturing into the entrepreneurial world as a 19-year-old, Ms. Minhas invested everything she had into her dream of starting a business. Many years, roadblocks, and big breaks later, she is the CEO of Minhas Breweries, Distillery, and Wineries, presiding over a network of 90 brands sold in 18 countries with a 2021 annual revenue exceeding $220 million.
Ms. Minhas was selected as this year’s Global Citizen Award recipient for her commitment to investing in women-run enterprises and her philanthropic efforts to empower women. Ms. Minhas has achieved barrier-breaking success in the male-dominated business world, exemplifying, through her own journey, strides towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 of Gender Equality. Ms. Minhas noted that “I’ve always been cognizant of encouraging women business owners on The Den and in other mentoring situations, because a more inclusive economy is a stronger economy.”
The UN echoes this: empowering women and girls in all aspects of society is an essential tool in reducing poverty, promoting inclusive growth, and building resilient societies worldwide. If, by 2025, women participate in the global economy on an equal level to men, global GDP would increase by 26% - that’s like adding an economy larger than that of the United States to the world (McKinsey Consulting Group). Yet women only occupy 30% of senior management positions in Canadian businesses (Statistics Canada).
"Since 2015, the global increase in women holding managerial positions has been a mere 1%. We urgently need more leaders like Manjit, whose commitment and influence are essential to accelerating progress toward the gender equality goals outlined in the SDGs," said UNA-Canada President and CEO Jaime Webbe.
Our annual gala is an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Canadians who exemplify core UN values. This October, we are excited to honor Ms. Manjit Minhas, recognizing her remarkable contributions and leadership in gender equality. Her success as a trailblazing entrepreneur embodies the spirit of resilience and innovation, serving as a powerful inspiration for other women and girls to follow in her footsteps and drive positive change within their communities.
You can learn more about Ms. Minhas and UNA-Canada through the attached links. For any inquiries, please contact thomas.lenhard@unac.org
