WASHINGTON — Jill Biden is embarking on her last solo international trip as first lady, which includes a six-day tour across four countries: Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and concluding in Paris with a significant event marking the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. This journey is particularly special, as it allows her to join President-elect Donald Trump and other notable figures in celebrating the landmark’s resurgence after a devastating fire that nearly destroyed it five years prior.
Throughout this trip, Biden aims to spotlight various causes that she has actively supported during her tenure, including advocacy for military families, advancements in education, and research focused on cancer and women’s health. Furthermore, she will also emphasize the United States’ partnerships in these domains with the nations she visits, according to her office’s statements.
Notably, Biden is the first Italian American to take on the role of first lady. As part of her travels, she has included a stop in Gesso, her ancestral village in Sicily, where her father’s lineage originates.
Paris will serve as her final destination, where she will participate in ceremonies to commemorate Notre Dame’s reopening. Following the fire, the cathedral underwent extensive and careful restoration work.
Trump, the U.S. president during the time of the fire, has also confirmed his attendance at this highly secured event in the French capital, indicating a shared interest in this historic occasion.
As first lady, Jill Biden has become an experienced traveler, with this being her tenth solo international trip. She has also joined her husband, President Joe Biden, on several of his official overseas visits.
On her solo missions, she has represented the U.S. in various significant international settings, including leading delegations to both the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Paris Games this year, visiting Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion, and attending events across Latin America and Africa. Recently, she was present for the inauguration of Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, in October.
Biden is set to depart on her journey on Tuesday evening, following her English and writing classes at Northern Virginia Community College. She is scheduled to land at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Catania, Italy, on Wednesday. Here, she will engage with military personnel and deliver speeches in line with Joining Forces, her initiative for supporting military families, a cause close to her heart as her father served as a Navy signalman during World War II.
After her time in Italy, Biden will travel to Abu Dhabi, UAE, for a packed day of engagements planned for Thursday. Her itinerary includes visiting the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as part of efforts connected to the Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative, as well as participating in discussions on women’s health research at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit.
During her time in Abu Dhabi, she will also meet with Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who holds various influential positions focused on women’s and children’s welfare in the UAE.
Later on Friday, in Doha, Qatar, the first lady will further explore collaborative interests in education and health through visits to the Qatar Foundation and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar. She is expected to be a guest at a lavish dinner hosted by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to celebrate the royal wedding of Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikha Fatima bin Nasser bin Hassan Al Thani, taking place at the Al-Wajba Palace in Doha.
On Saturday, Biden will serve as the keynote speaker at the Doha Forum, a gathering where global leaders convene to address pressing international challenges. Following this, she will make her way to Paris for the Notre Dame reopening event, with plans to return to Washington on Sunday.