Bangladesh Ambassador Opens 2025 Ambassadors’ Forum at Webster Athens

Webster Athens was honored to welcome Ambassador of Bangladesh to Greece, Nahida Rahman Shumona, as the inaugural speaker of the 2025 Ambassadors’ Sociopolitical Forum, held every spring in Athens. The event took place on March 20 at the Webster Athens Cultural Center. 

Ambassador Shumona’s remarks on diplomacy, development and global cooperation set an inspiring tone for this year’s forum, which serves as a platform for fostering diplomatic dialogue, cultural exchange and international collaboration. The series brings together diplomats, academics and global thought leaders to address pressing global challenges. 

As the first ambassador of Bangladesh to launch the forum, Shumona delivered a compelling keynote address highlighting her nation’s dynamic progress and growing presence on the international stage. 

“I was honored to be the inaugural speaker at the 2025 Ambassadors' Forum in Athens,” Shumona said. Her presentation focused on Bangladesh’s significant growth, evolving economy and global partnerships. She also offered a thoughtful exploration of the Bangladeshi diaspora in Greece — including migration trends, integration and the community’s contributions — and emphasized the potential for stronger bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Greece. She expressed pride and dedication in serving as her country’s representative. 

Webster Athens students with Nahida Rahman Shumona, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Greece, Webster Athens Rector Vasilis J. Botopoulos, faculty and staff, following the lecture.

“Our colleagues and students were inspired by your speech and spirit, both at the Forum and during the Embassy’s event on Martyrs’ Day, which was marked by your warm presence,” said Dr. Peggy Manouka, Professor of Sociolinguistics, as she introduced the ambassador to students. 

The Daily Observer in Dhaka, Bangladesh described the event as “a milestone in Bangladesh-Greece relations” and noted its role in underscoring the power of diplomatic engagement to bridge cultures and strengthen partnerships. 

Webster Athens Rector Vasilis J. Botopoulos, left, welcomed Nahida Rahman Shumona, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Greece, right, at the opening of the first Ambassadors’ Forum event outside the Webster Athens Cultural Center.

“We thank Ambassador Shumona for her gracious participation and for sharing Bangladesh’s perspective on today’s pressing global challenges,” said Webster Athens Rector Vasilis J. Botopoulos. 

Nahida Rahman Shumona is the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Greece and a senior career foreign service officer with more than two decades of diplomatic experience. Before her posting in Athens, she served as the high commissioner of Bangladesh to Brunei Darussalam. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shumona held the position of director general, overseeing both the Consular and Welfare Wing and the Regional Organizations Wing. Her overseas assignments have included postings in Brazil, Canada, India and Australia. She holds a master’s degree in diplomacy and international trade from Monash University in Australia, a master’s and honors degree in English literature from the University of Dhaka and completed a fellowship in transboundary water law at the University of Geneva. 

The Ambassadors’ Forum, an annual series hosted by the Department of History, Politics and International Relations at Webster Athens, runs this year from March 20 through April 29. It offers students a deeper understanding of diplomacy and international relations through lectures delivered by ambassadors and state representatives. Topics range from foreign policy and international organizations to global security, multilateral issues and cooperation frameworks such as the United Nations, European Union and NATO. 

Through events like the Ambassadors’ Forum, Webster Athens reaffirms its commitment to global citizenship, intercultural dialogue and academic diplomacy. 
 
About Webster Athens 
Webster Athens is the only fully owned and accredited U.S. university campus in Greece, bringing the best of American education to the heart of Athens. The university provides undergraduate and graduate programs that combine academic excellence with a unique cultural immersion, preparing students to succeed in an interconnected world.

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