Washington DC - First Lady Melania Trump recently made a rare public appearance to honor some of the world's most courageous women.

On Tuesday, Melania visited the US State Department to attend the 19th annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony, during which she gave a speech,

"Throughout my life, I have harnessed the power of love as a source of strength during challenging times," Melania said. "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," she continued.

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As per the State Department's website, the event "recognizes women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights... often at great personal risk and sacrifice."

Melania specifically praised recipient Georgiana Pascu of Romania, an advocate for institutionalized children and adults with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities. The first lady described Pascu as "a watchdog who defends the dignity of Romanians whose voices cannot be heard."

"The 2025 International Women of Courage Award recipients come from diverse backgrounds and regions," she went on to say. "Yet, love transcends boundaries and territories. It is a universal language."

Melania's appearance at the ceremony marked only her second public appearance since her husband was re-elected, as she has chosen to largely stay out of the spotlight and away from the White House.