b'Welcome by Puan Sri Siew Yong Gnanalingam, Inter-national Convention Chair | Flag Ceremony | Roll Call of Soroptimist International Countries & Territories | Opening Speech by Mariet Verhoef-Cohen, SI Interna-tional President | Speech by Her Majesty, KDYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Binti Al-Mar-hum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj.FollowingannouncementsbyJoanneYeoh,ConventionCo-Chair Operations & Protocol, Emcee Yasmin Yusoff welcomed Her Majesty, Queen of Malaysia into the Plenary Hall at the KL Convention Centre, followed by a glittering Flag Ceremony andPhoto: Mariet Verhoef-CohenRoll Call of Soroptimist International (SI) Countries & Territories.Puan Sri Siew Yong took to the stage to welcome Her Majesty andPhoto: Siew Yong GnanalingamSoroptimists, and an opening address was given by SI President Mariet Verhoef-Cohen. Mariet welcomed Soroptimists from all over the world, giving special thanks to the SI Convention Com-mittee, presenting on the achievements of the biennium 2017-2019 to date. President Mariet looked forward to 2020, when the worlds eyes will turn to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25) and asked the question, has the world progressed for women and girls? Although progress is tangible, Mariets presentation showed how restrictive labour policies, the pay gap, and structural in-equalities still persist, creating obstacles to equality which is so badly needed if global progress is to be made. Mariet said: Soroptimists know this, understand this, and continue to take the steps to achieve this. Photo: Yvonne SimpsonSI President Mariet Verhoef-Cohen; Dep. Minister Energy, Science, Technology, Engineering & Climate Change, Isnaraissah Munirah Majlis; Her Majesty Queen of Malaysia; SI Convention Chair Puan Sri Siew YongGnanalingam;SI Past President Yvonne Simpson4'