Helen Clark to address Pierhead audience

30 March 2012

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark is to address a public audience at the Assembly’s Pierhead building on 11 April, before taking questions.

Mrs Clarke served as Prime Minister for three consecutive terms, between 1999 and 2008, before becoming the first woman to take up the role of Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Forbes magazine ranked her as the 20^th most influential woman in the world in 2006.

She is speaking at the Pierhead as part of a series of lectures from key public figures, and tickets are available to the public, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Free tickets can be obtained by contacting the information line on 0845 010 5510 or by emailing assembly.bookings@wales.gov.uk.

“It is fantastic that we have such an influential figure from the world stage visiting us at the Assembly,” said Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM.

“It follows on from the successful visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury on 26 March, where a public audience was able to ask questions of such a significant figure in British life.

“With the visit of Helen Clark, we are extending the opportunity to the Welsh public of asking questions of a leading world figure.

“That’s one of the reasons why we created the Pierhead facility, to provide the Welsh people with a forum to discuss the major issues of the day with key public figures.

“I look forward to hearing what Mrs Clark will have to say on a variety of interesting issues, not least gender balance in politics, because increasing participation amongst women is one of my key strategic aims during my first year in office.”