Melania Trump honors International Women of Courage Award winners who 'refused to let fear or hardship define them'

First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the 2025 International Women of Courage Award ceremony on Tuesday, in which eight women from around the world were celebrated for their exceptional courage, strength, and leadership.

Speaking at the ceremony, the First Lady spoke on harnessing the power of love as a "source of strength during challenging times."

"Love has inspired me to embrace forgiveness, nurture empathy, and exhibit bravery in the face of unforeseen obstacles. Today, we celebrate courage, a strength that is based in love." 

"This truth is illustrated through our honorees who prove that love can inspire extraordinary valor, even in the face of vulnerability. Their remarkable stories, a testament to the power of love in practice for family, community, and our world."

Trump highlighted one of the award recipients, Georgiana Pascu of Romania, saying, "Georgiana is a watchdog who defends the dignity of Romanians, who voices cannot be heard. She fearlessly enters facilities designated as care centers to rescue people with disabilities who are unwittingly held captive." Pascu’s work has led to dozens of people being charged with human trafficking, exploitation, and organized crime.

"We are honored to join an exceptional assembly of brave women who have shown their love and refused to let fear or hardship define them. Their collective achievements and dedication move us all. Let us also take a moment to acknowledge those who persist in their struggles. For each of them, love serves as a powerful catalyst, instilling in the profound sense of purpose in their endeavors."

Trump said the recipients of the award in 2025 come "from diverse backgrounds and regions," and yet "love transcends boundaries and territories. It is a universal language. Their courage propels us of humanity forward by advocating to end violence against women and girls, promoting democratic governance, defending human rights, championing education, and fighting injustice."

Along with Pascu, receiving the award in 2025 were Henriette Da of Burkina Faso, Amit Soussana of Israel, Major Velena Iga of Papua New Guinea, Angelique Songco of the Philippines, Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit of South Sudan, Namini Wijedasa of Sri Lanka, and Amat Al-Salem Al-Hajj of Yemen.