PHOTOS: Ivanka Trump attends global robotics conference, meets Afghanistan team

Christina Gregg

President Trump's eldest daughter and senior adviser greeted participants at a global robotics competition in Washington on Tuesday, paying a special visit to one team that struggled to get visa clearance before the event.

The FIRST Global competition is an annual event put on by the non-profit with a mission of inspiring STEM around the world.

"With 160+ countries represented, @FIRSTweets goes beyond robotics," Ivanka Trump wrote with a Twitter post on Tuesday. "It is a game everyone can play & where everyone can turn pro!"

Click through to see photos from Ivanka's appearance at the robotics competition:

The six girls representing Afghanistan in the competition faced an uphill battle leading up to the July event when they were twice denied visas allowing them to participate. Eventually, President Trump and Washington officials involved themselves in the affair, and all participants -- even those from Yemen and Syria -- were allowed to come to Washington for the robotics event.

The U.S. team was paired with the Afghanistan team on Tuesday morning before the competition began, during which Ivanka Trump visited and shared some words with the girls.

"For many of you who have traveled great lengths to be here, we welcome you," Ivanka said, smiling at the Afghan girls. "It's a privilege and an honor to have you all with us."

The competition will conclude with an awards ceremony on Tuesday night, after which many team participants will spend the rest of the week touring the nation's capital.

"I am excited to meet these young men and women, whose work ethic, ingenuity and passion has driven them to achieve tremendous success and granted them the opportunity to represent their home countries at this challenging competition," Ivanka Trump echoed in an Instagram post. "Teaching robotics and engineering skills to the next generation of innovators is critical to the future of our economy and the world!"

RELATED: A look at the FIRST Global robotics conference:

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