Juliana Awada
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María Juliana Awada (born 3 April 1974) is an Argentine businesswoman who served as the
first lady of Argentina First Lady or First Gentleman of Argentina (), also known as First Lady or First Gentleman of the Argentine Nation (), is a title typically held by the spouse of the president of Argentina, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although ...
from 2015 to 2019. She is the first woman in this role to have received the distinction of the
Knight Grand Cross A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...
in 70 years and the second in history after
Eva Perón María Eva Duarte de Perón (; ; 7 May 1919 – 26 July 1952), better known as Eva Perón or by the nickname Evita (), was an Argentine politician, activist, actress, and philanthropist who served as First Lady of Argentina from June 1946 until ...
in 1947. In 2016, she was chosen as the most elegant First Lady in the world by '' ¡Hola!'' magazine.


Background

Awada was born in Villa Ballester on 3 April 1974, the daughter of Ibrahim Awada, a Lebanese
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
immigrant from the city of
Baalbek Baalbek (; ; ) is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, about northeast of Beirut. It is the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate. In 1998, the city had a population of 82,608. Most of the population consists of S ...
, and Elsa Esther (), a
Syrian Syrians () are the majority inhabitants of Syria, indigenous to the Levant, most of whom have Arabic, especially its Levantine and Mesopotamian dialects, as a mother tongue. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend ...
- Lebanese
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
. She is the sister of entrepreneurs Zoraida and Daniel Awada, artist Leila Awada, and actor
Alejandro Awada Alejandro Awada (; December 7, 1961) is an Argentine character actor of Syrian and Lebanese descent. He has appeared in a great number of television series, programmes and onstage. Personal life Awada was born on 3 December 1961 in Villa Ball ...
. During her childhood and adolescence, she repeatedly traveled with her mother to
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, mainly to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and
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, looking for fashion collections. After completing her secondary education at the now defunct Chester College, a bilingual English school in Belgrano, she continued studying in
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. When she returned to
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, she was actively involved in the family business, a textile company set up by her father in the 1960s. In 1997, she married Gustavo Capello, whom she would divorce one year later. Later, she was in a relationship with Belgian businessman Bruno Laurent Barbier, whom she had met on an
Air France Air France (; legally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France, and is headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. The airline is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and is one of the founding members ...
flight. They lived together for almost ten years. They did not marry, and had a daughter named Valentina.


First Lady of Buenos Aires

Awada and
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
began a relationship in 2009. They wed on 16 November 2010 and have one daughter, Antonia, born in 2011. In an interview with ''
La Nación ''La Nación'' () is an Argentine daily newspaper. As the country's leading conservative newspaper, ''La Nación''s main competitor is the more liberal ''Clarín (Argentine newspaper), Clarín''. It is regarded as a newspaper of record for Argen ...
'' newspaper in 2012, she stated that her father is a liberal Muslim who did not object to one of Juliana's sisters marrying a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
and the other a
Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
.


Role in 2015 Argentine general election

Awada played an important role during the campaign of her husband,
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
, in the
presidential elections A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The ...
. At first with an extremely low profile, Juliana always differed from the other wives of the presidential candidates, who had been much more prominent in the campaigns of their husbands. But the campaign advisers sought to turn their profile and make it much more visible for the campaign. She joined the campaign of Maria Eugenia Vidal in the
Province of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, officially the Buenos Aires Province, is the largest and most populous Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of the province an ...
in a tour of the party of José C. Paz, where they visited the Zonal Hospital of Agudos Governor Domingo Mercante, and talked with neighbors and merchants in Plaza Manuel Belgrano of that locality. Awada was concerned about the hospital's building situation. She was present during the presidential debate that took place in the Law College of the
University of Buenos Aires The University of Buenos Aires (, UBA) is a public university, public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the second-oldest university in the country, and the largest university of the country by enrollment. Established in 1821 ...
, between her husband
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
against the candidate Daniel Scioli. After the debate, the wives of both candidates came onstage to accompany their husbands, and Awada and Macri had an intense kiss that was later replicated by the media in Argentina.


Human trafficking

Juliana Awada, as a textile businesswoman, was involved in a human trafficking scandal in 2010. Her companies Awada and Cheeky allegedly bought their clothes from illegal factories where slave labour was commonly used. The first complaint was made by the organization La Alameda against the firm Awada, accusing it of violating immigration law (art 117 to 121) and the home work law (art 4, 35 and 36) in the workshops where they made their garments and for which she is jointly responsible, and was carried out on October 18 before the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Patricio Evers and subsequently fell into another lawsuit that at that time was administered by Dr. Oyarbide. Given the passivity of the Federal Court in response to the complaint, in March 2008 a report was filmed, together with teams from América TV, on various clandestine workshops in the city of San Martín, near Buenos Aires, that worked for major brands, including Awada. These investigations were broadcast on the air on March 12, 2008. On May 14, 2008, a list of 30 workshops that worked for major brands were denounced before the Deputy Minister of Labor Gastón Guarracino, which included the two Awada workshops in Villa Ballester that had already been denounced and filmed in 2006 and 2008. Most of these accusations fell moot after Awada became Mauricio Macri's wife, who was Buenos Aires head of government at the time and later became president of Argentina.


First Lady of Argentina

In the 2015 presidential elections held on 25 October,
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
, candidate of the alliance Cambiemos ''(Let's Change)'', formed by the
Republican Proposal Republican Proposal (), usually referred to by its abbreviation PRO, is a political party in Argentina. PRO was formed as an electoral alliance in 2005, but was transformed into a national party in 2010. It is the major component of the Juntos ...
, the
Radical Civic Union The Radical Civic Union (, UCR) is a major political party in Argentina. It has reached the national government on ten occasions, making it one of the most historically important parties in the country. Ideologically, the party has stood for r ...
and the
Civic Coalition ARI Civic Coalition ARI (, CC-ARI), until October 2009 known as Support for an Egalitarian Republic (, ARI), is a centrist political party in Argentina founded in 2002 by Elisa Carrió. It is a member of Cambiemos since 2015, along with centrist a ...
, came second with 34.33% of the vote, while the candidate of the Front for Victory, Daniel Scioli, it outstripped by little difference. In a historic ballotage, the first to be held in
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, Mauricio Macri won with 51.34% of the votes, becoming the successor of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and Awada consequently, in the
First Lady of Argentina First Lady or First Gentleman of Argentina (), also known as First Lady or First Gentleman of the Argentine Nation (), is a title typically held by the spouse of the president of Argentina, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although ...
. On 10 December 2015, Awada accompanied her husband during his inauguration as President. The ceremony starting from their apartment in the neighborhood of Recoleta at the corner of Avenida del Libertador and Cavia at 11:00am to the
National Congress of Argentina The National Congress of Argentina () is the legislature, legislative branch of the government of Argentina. Its composition is bicameralism, bicameral, constituted by a 72-seat Argentine Senate, Senate and a 257-seat Argentine Chamber of Deputie ...
where Macri delivered a speech of 27 minutes. Later they went to the
Casa Rosada The ''Casa Rosada'' (), , is the president of the Argentine Republic's official workplace, located in Buenos Aires. The palatial mansion is known officially as ''Casa de Gobierno'' ("House of Government" or "Government House"). Normally, the pre ...
, where Macri received the presidential attributes in the White Hall of the
Casa Rosada The ''Casa Rosada'' (), , is the president of the Argentine Republic's official workplace, located in Buenos Aires. The palatial mansion is known officially as ''Casa de Gobierno'' ("House of Government" or "Government House"). Normally, the pre ...
. After being anointed President, she and her husband gave a reception at the
San Martín Palace San Martín Palace (''Palacio San Martín'') is located facing Plaza San Martín in the Retiro neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina and serves as the Ceremonial Headquarters for the Ministry of Foreign Relations. History The Beaux Arts ...
of Argentina Foreign Ministry to all the heads of state present:
Michelle Bachelet Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (; born 29 September 1951) is a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018, becoming the first woman to hold the presidency. She was re-elected in December ...
from
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
,
Horacio Cartes Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara (; born 5 July 1956) is a Paraguayan politician and businessman who is serving as president of the Colorado Party (Paraguay), Colorado Party since 2023, having previously served as president of Paraguay from 2013 to 2 ...
from
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
,
Juan Manuel Santos Juan Manuel Santos Calderón (; born 10 August 1951) is a Colombian politician who was the President of Colombia from 2010 to 2018. He was the sole recipient of the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. An economist by training and a journalist by trade, S ...
from
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
,
Rafael Correa Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado (; born 6 April 1963) is an Ecuadorian politician and economist who served as the 45th president of Ecuador from 2007 to 2017. The leader of the PAIS Alliance political movement from its foundation until 2017, Corr ...
from
Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
,
Evo Morales Juan Evo Morales Ayma (; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero activist who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to come ...
from
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
,
Dilma Rousseff Dilma Vana Rousseff (; born 14 December 1947) is a Brazilian economist and politician who served as the 36th president of Brazil from 2011 until her impeachment and removal from office on 31 August 2016. She is the only woman to have held the ...
from
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, and representatives of other countries attending the inauguration. Buenos Aires Governor
María Eugenia Vidal María Eugenia Vidal (born 8 September 1973) is an Argentine politician who served as Governor of the Buenos Aires Province, being the first woman in the office, and the first non-Peronist since 1987. A member of Republican Proposal (PRO), she ...
confirmed that the First Lady is her personal advisor regarding her wardrobe. Awada and President
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
alongside her daughters Antonia and Valentina lives in the Presidential Residence of Quinta de Olivos. On 23 March 2016, she gave her first speech at the Metropolitan Design Center (CMD) of the
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
neighborhood of Barracas, where she presented her counterpart
Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( Robinson; born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United Stat ...
. Both First Ladies gave a talk to teens to raise awareness about the importance of education. This speech was held during the official visit made by the Obama family to Argentina on 23–24 March 2016, where they also visited the city of Bariloche, in the Argentine Patagonia. In June 2016, the first lady welcomed the
Second lady of the United States The second lady of the United States or second gentleman (SLOTUS or SGOTUS) is the informal title held by the spouse of the vice president of the United States, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. Coined in contrast to " first la ...
,
Jill Biden Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (née Jacobs; born June 3, 1951) is an American educator who served as the first lady of the United States from 2021 to 2025 as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was second lady of the United States from 2009 to 20 ...
, and emphasized her commitment to education and her work in defense of equal rights for women. Awada received the wife of
Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...
,
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
in the Presidential Residence of Olivos and shared with her then the visit to a Space of First Childhood in the locality of San Martin, Buenos Aires. After a talk they kept in the presidential villa, she invited her to visit the fifth and the organic garden that she cultivates herself in the gardens of the residence. The first lady and Minister, Carolina Stanley explained to Biden details of the objectives and role of these centers in the framework of the policy of comprehensive care for children carried out by the Government with the National Early Childhood Network. "Jill Biden is an incredible woman, who is always thinking of improving the future of the people in her community," said Awada. She emphasized that she has made "great contributions and was able to promote many positive changes from her vocation and commitment to education, her experience as a combatant's mother, her role in helping women prevent cancer and their participation for women's equality ". In November 2016, the first lady received the spouse of the
Prime Minister of Japan The is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Force ...
, Akie Abe in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
. They shared various activities in the Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens, located in the neighborhood of
Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
, as part of the official visit by the Prime Minister,
Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe (21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. ...
to
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. They witnessed a musical show of the Group of Japanese Drums-Buenos Aires Taiko of which took part members of the Band Tacuarí of the
Regiment of Patricians The 1st Infantry Regiment "Los Patricios" (''Regimiento de Infantería 1 "Los Patricios"'') is the oldest and one of the most prestigious regiments of the Argentine Army. The title is often shortened to the Patricians' Regiment (''Regimiento de P ...
. Later, they participated in the tea ceremony, essence of the Japanese cultural manifestations, and finally visited an exhibition of Bonsai in the facilities of that thematic garden. It was 130 years since the arrival of the Japanese community in Argentina and next year will be the 120th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of state, intergovernmental, or non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern Diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...
.


Foreign trips

Awada made her first international trip as
First Lady of Argentina First Lady or First Gentleman of Argentina (), also known as First Lady or First Gentleman of the Argentine Nation (), is a title typically held by the spouse of the president of Argentina, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although ...
to
Davos Davos (, ; or ; ; Old ) is an Alpine resort town and municipality in the Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of (). Davos is located on the river Landwasser, in the Rhaetian ...
,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
to accompany her husband during the 2016
World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental organization, international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank, based in Cologny, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German ...
. She and her husband met with
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands Máxima (born Máxima Zorreguieta on 17 May 1971) is List of Dutch royal consorts, Queen of the Netherlands as the wife of King Willem-Alexander. Argentine by birth, she worked in finance when she met Willem-Alexander, eldest son and heir appa ...
and the
Prime Minister of the Netherlands The prime minister of the Netherlands () or, before 1945, the chairman of the Council of Ministers () is the ''de facto'' head of government of the Netherlands.''Grondwet voor het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden'' onstitution of the Kingdom of the N ...
,
Mark Rutte Mark Rutte (; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th Secretary General of NATO, secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, prime minister of the Neth ...
, in a meeting that lasted about 30 minutes. At the meeting, there was a commitment to relaunch the bilateral relationship and to expand flights between the two countries. On 27 February 2016, she met with
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
at the
Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...
where she and her husband, President Macri were invited. It was the second time Awada met with the Pope, the first was in 2013 when she was the First Lady of Buenos Aires. The next day she attended a meeting between her husband and the Italian President,
Sergio Mattarella Sergio Mattarella (; born 23 July 1941) is an Italian politician and jurist who has served as the president of Italy since 2015. He is the longest-serving president in the history of the Italian Republic. Since Giorgio Napolitano's death in 20 ...
at the
Quirinale Palace The Quirinal Palace ( ) is a historic building in Rome, Italy, the main official residence of the President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, together with Villa Rosebery in Naples and the Tenuta di Castelporziano, an estate on the outs ...
in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. In July 2016, The First Lady and the President Macri started a European tour that took them to
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, where the President sought to project his international leadership as a political and commercial partner of the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. Macri and Awada held in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, and
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German retired politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. She is the only woman to have held the office. She was Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2005 and Leade ...
, in this case in the context of a two-day official visit. In addition to meeting with the two leaders brunt of the European Union, the President was received in
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
by the European Council President
Donald Tusk Donald Franciszek Tusk (born 22 April 1957) is a Polish politician and historian who has served as the prime minister of Poland since 2023, previously holding the office from 2007 to 2014. Tusk served as the president of the European Council (20 ...
, the
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) is the chief co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) within the European U ...
, Federica Mogherini. The President and the First Lady were received by King Philip and Queen Mathilde at the
Royal Palace of Brussels The Royal Palace of Brussels ( ; ; ) is the official palace of the Monarchy of Belgium, King and Queen of the Belgians in the centre of the nation's capital, Brussels. However, it is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family l ...
. In September 2016 Awada accompanied her husband to the G-20 Summit held in
Hangzhou Hangzhou, , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly romanized as Hangchow is a sub-provincial city in East China and the capital of Zhejiang province. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counti ...
. During the summit, she fulfilled a personal agenda, on her first day visited a
buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhism, Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, khurul and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in B ...
and a pedestrian street of handicrafts. At the next day she visited the
Zhejiang University Zhejiang University (ZJU) is a public university, public research university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education (China), Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and D ...
and participate in an activity at the
China Academy of Art The China Academy of Art (CAA; ) is a provincial public college of fine arts in Hangzhou. Zhejiang, China. It is affiliated with the Province of Zhejiang. The academy is part of the Double First-Class Construction The World First-Class Un ...
. In February 2017, President
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
and the First Lady began a state visit to Spain. The First Lady and Queen Letizia spoke about the ties that unite both countries and agreed on the importance of working in the care of children and the integral development of women. "I am very grateful to have the opportunity to come to this country with Mauricio representing Argentina. It is an honor and a great responsibility that I take with great enthusiasm, "said Awada after his meeting with the Queen, in the Palace of Zarzuela. The meeting between Awada and Letizia took place in parallel to the meeting of the Head of State with King Felipe VI of Spain. The President's wife brought the Queen a bracelet inspired by Pampa, silver-plated, by designer Federico Álzaga. "We talked about our roles, our countries with so much history and ties in common, and also about what we live as women and as mothers of two girls. I felt very comfortable and the conversation flowed naturally", she said. In March 2017, President Macri and the First Lady began a state visit to the Netherlands. During their stay in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
were received by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in the
Dam Square Dam Square or the Dam () is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital and most populated city of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the best-known and most important locations in the city and the country. ...
. Macri and Awada, accompanied by Queen Maxima, visited the
Anne Frank House The Anne Frank House () is a writer's house and biographical museum dedicated to Judaism, Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, close to the Westerkerk, in Amsterdam-Centrum, central Amst ...
, where they were received by the Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam, Kasja Ollongren; The director of the Anne Frank Foundation, Leonard Leopold; And by the director of the Foundation in Argentina, Hector Shalom. "I am very touched by the story of Anne Frank. It is always an inspiration to work for a better life and for human rights," wrote the first lady, Juliana Awada, in the House of Honor book of honor where the Jewish girl hid from The Nazi persecution with his family.


Argentine art promoter

The First Lady is a promoter of Argentine art in the world. Since her time as First Lady of Buenos Aires she has been involved in exhibitions at the Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires and in the Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art. As First Lady of Argentina, she promoted Argentine art in the Latin American region as well as in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
. In March 2017, President
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
and the first lady, participated in the opening ceremony of the new Güemes Museum in honor
Martín Miguel de Güemes Martín Miguel de Güemes (8 February 1785 – 17 June 1821) was a military leader and popular caudillo who defended northwestern Argentina from the Spanish royalist army during the Argentine War of Independence. Biography Güemes was born in ...
, together with the Governor of Salta, Juan Manuel Urtubey, and his wife, Isabel Macedo. The restoration and reconstruction work of the National Historical Monument, which contains the Museum, in the city of
Salta Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Salta Province, the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the List of cities in Argentina, 7th most-populous ...
, maintains the original premises and the different materials and technologies of the building. The content of the Museum was agreed with institutions and specialized researchers, and its result is the result of the creation of more than 100 people among filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, sculptors, musicians, designers, technicians and assistants. Visiting the museum, visitors can meet the "gaucho hero" through modern audio-visual resources and exhibition techniques, including scenic effects, lighting and multimedia programs. Awada inaugurated the ARCO Fair ''(Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo)'' of Madrid 2017 with Queen Letizia in
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, where
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
was the guest country of honor. "The fact that Argentina is the guest country of honor in this new edition of ARCO is a huge pride and a further demonstration of the stage we are going through," said First Lady Awada, visiting the contemporary art fair together to President
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
and King
Felipe VI of Spain Felipe VI (; Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. In accordance with the Spanish Constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed For ...
. She was in charge of choosing all the Argentine artists who will have a place in the exhibition. "I am sure that this participation will be a milestone in the history of our culture because it will position us in the world in a new and much stronger way. And the most beautiful thing is that Madrid was full of Argentine artists" she emphasized. The First Lady completely remodeled the Presidential Residence of Olivos, choosing as part of the decoration works by different artists from all over
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, especially an artist from the Province of Salta, named Mariano Cornejo.


Social work

In November 2016, Awada and the Minister of Social Development, Carolina Stanley visited in the province of Córdoba an Early Childhood Space, a social dining room and a family enterprise. "Something I learned from Mauricio and the people he works with is the importance of being close to, caring for, always accompanying those who need it the most," said the First Lady. Awada also internalized on the projects of complementary financing that executed the social portfolio in order to improve the building situation and to provide equipment and supplies. President Mauricio Macri's wife stressed that the teams of workers who support these initiatives "leave everything to hundreds of children and families to have better opportunities." "Their work is very valuable. I deeply admire people who live to help others", she said. In March 2017, the first lady alongside the Ministry of Social Development, Carolina Stanley, visited the property of the Civil Walking Association, which, assisted by the Government, works to generate opportunities for people with disabilities. "Here the children start projects, learn trades, hold workshops and discover what they like to do," said the wife of President
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
. Awada and Stanley toured the Andar Organization, located in the Buenos Aires district of Moreno, where for two decades groups of professionals have promoted social inclusion through work, sport, art, culture and health. She also highlighted the work of social organizations of this type that "help raise awareness and make a great contribution for people with Down syndrome to be part of society, without taboos and without limits, as it should be." In that context, he remarked that "there is much that can be achieved when children are stimulated from childhood, given an inclusive education and, above all, when they are shown confidence." The Ministry of Social Development collaborates with ''Andar Organization'' through the food security program and provides infrastructure and machinery through the institutional strengthening program. In addition to providing microcredit, she joined the institution in the ''Pro Huerta Plan'', which provides tools for setting up organic gardens in their own spaces. The organization develops a therapeutic program to help young people with various disabilities and conducts workshops to improve their quality of life, achieve more autonomy. The young people also participate in a productive program that includes work at the ''"Pan de Esperanza"'' bakery.


Public image and style

In 2016 she was named one of the "best dressed" women in the world according to
Vogue magazine ''Vogue'' (stylized in all caps), also known as American ''Vogue'', is a monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers style news, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. It is part of the global collectio ...
. Her current style has been compared with other famous First Ladies such as
Jacqueline Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...
. Vogue
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
prepared a special issue for April issue with a particular coverage on
Argentine Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
fashion Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, Fashion accessory, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into Clothing, outfits that depict distinct ...
, Awada which was the main protagonist. The interview was conducted in the middle of what was BAFWEEK. The production was done in the Teatro Colón of
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
. Awada chose to wear national and Spanish designs. Awada appeared on the cover and in a photo spread in the June 2016 issue of '' Vogue Latin América''. In the magazine, the First Lady declared: "The Argentines have to be united, working together to have the country we deserve" and she declared that her husband works close to people inviting all to move the country forward, respecting the differences and similarities. She was chosen the most elegant First Lady in the world in 2016 according to the magazine '' ¡Hola!''.


Honors

*: Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...
(2 May 2017) *: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (27 March 2017) *: Grand Cross of the
Royal Norwegian Order of Merit The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Norwegian: ''Den Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden'' (Bokmål) or ''Den Kongelege Norske Fortenesteordenen'' (Nynorsk)) was instituted by King Olav V in 1985. It is awarded to foreigners, Norwegian citizens livin ...
(6 March 2018) *: Dame Grand Cross of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...
(20 February 2017)


References


External links

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Awada, Juliana Argentine women in business Living people Argentine people of Lebanese descent Argentine people of Syrian descent Businesspeople from Buenos Aires Businesspeople in textiles
Textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
1974 births First ladies and gentlemen of Argentina Argentine Roman Catholics Argentine former Muslims Converts to Roman Catholicism from Islam Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Netherlands) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic 21st-century Argentine women 20th-century Argentine businesspeople 20th-century Argentine businesswomen