Posts Tagged ‘International Women’s Day’

8 Mar

International Women’s Day Pledge for Parity

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Inspiration. Tagged: , .

International Women's Day logo with women in crowdHappy International Women’s Day.

This day of celebration of the global women’s community happens every March 8. It was established in 1911 as a day of recognition for the progress in every field of life and livelihood of women across all cultural lines. In China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, it is even a national holiday.

Womens’ rights, stepped on in so many societies, are HUMAN RIGHTS, and can be nothing but a priority for all.

There are thousands of events today around the world—the Global United Nations theme for today (and for celebrating women throughout the month of March) is: Pledge for Parity. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2014 that it would take until 2095 to achieve global gender parity. Then one year later in 2015, they estimated that a slowdown in the already glacial pace of progress meant the gender gap wouldn’t close entirely until 2133.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women AND men and celebrate achievements. “A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities, and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion parades, and more.”

Make every day International Women’s Day and find ways to celebrate women and girls, strive to narrow the gap between all persons, and promise to make equality for all achievable in our lifetime. Just because it has never been done doesn’t mean it cannot be done. It both can and will–we’ve grown far too intelligent to still believe the falsehoods of our past that suggested any person is less than another.

8 Mar

Celebrating International Women’s Day with CHIME for CHANGE

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Act Now, Inspiration. Tagged: , , , , , .

chime_for_changeToday, March 8, is International Women’s Day, with events running worldwide to help move us toward our corrected-course future of absolute equality. This day of recognition and action has been celebrated for over a century. It is, of course, embarrassing to all of us in this global family that equality is not simply a matter of course. It is beneath us that in some cultures, half the population is held back. It will be looked back on as abhorrent that women in every community are not constantly supported and celebrated, allowed to give and receive, allowed to learn and contribute. We have done ourselves wrong and impeded our own progress through history, and change is, thankfully, coming.

I’m pretty fond of a new organization that recently launched, Chime for Change, headlined by superstars like Beyonce and Salma Hayek, and sponsored by Gucci, to increase awareness among millions and create a global movement toward women’s equal access to health, education, and justice.

Do yourself proud, and your mother, sister, daughter, wife, girlfriend, aunt, grandmother, mother-in-law, cousin, neighbor, teacher, friend, doctor, lawyer, president, architect, astronaut, artist, construction worker, volunteer, engineer, firefighter, police officer, soldier, gardener, ship captain, fill in the blank…your actions and efforts to secure equality make you a better person.

14 Mar

Cultural Explorer–Making a Difference for South African Women

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Inspiration, Vacation Ideas, volunteer. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Photo: Rural Women's Movement

International Women’s Day was just a few days back, but South Africa’s National Women’s Day happens in the late summer, on August 9, commemorating the day in 1956 when 20,000 women marched to government centers in Pretoria to protest the law requiring black women to carry a pass to be in public spaces. In recognition and celebration of South Africa Women’s Day, The Cultural Explorer, a volunteer vacation in South Africa specialist company, is launching several Women’s Empowerment trips in 2011. The Zulu Empowerment Trip is in partnership with the Rural Women’s Movement in South Africa, and will have visitors teaming up with local women launching their own businesses, to coach and mentor, as well as create workshops with women and girls in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Their Making a Difference in South Africa trip focuses on schools and the educational system in rural villages. The Meet the Women of South Africa trip is for women volunteers exclusively, and will be an opportunity to be immersed in the activist world of South Africa’s women’s movement throughout Johannesburg, Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and Cape Town. The Cultural Explorer will also gladly custom-design a trip for you to go to South Africa and be of service in your own way, sharing your strengths, and learning more than you ever imagined you could. It is an amazing way to experience what has to be one of my very favorite places on earth.

8 Mar

International Women’s Day 100

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Inspiration. Tagged: , , , .

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, with events around the world commemorating the way we move ahead as a universe because of feminine energy. I am here in Northern Idaho being nurtured by some of the most amazing women in the world (that is not to exclude the men of the Nez Perce Tribe, who welcome me as a brother as well), and marvel at the way connecting and caring are so free here on the Reservation. My web connection won’t allow me to post much until I get home, but the experience here touches my soul so deeply–I wish this upon every one of you.

Find an event today (there are 100s of international events for the day) to breathe life into this year’s theme: Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.

Celebrate women today

tomorrow

always

8 Mar

International Women’s Day

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Inspiration, volunteer. Tagged: , , , .

Happy International Women’s Day. This day of celebration of the global women’s community happens every March 8. It was established in 1911 as a day of recognition for the progress in every field of life and livelihood of women across all cultural lines. In China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, it is even a national holiday.

Womens’ rights, stepped on in so many societies, are HUMAN RIGHTS, and can be nothing but a priority for all.

There are thousands of events today around the world—the Global United Nations theme for today (and for celebrating women throughout the month of March) is: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All. Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. “A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion parades and more.”

Make every day International Women’s Day and find ways to celebrate women and girls, strive to narrow the gap between all persons, and promise to make equality for all achievable in our lifetime. Just because it has never been done doesn’t mean it cannot be done. It both can and will–we’ve grown far too intelligent to still believe the falsehoods of our past that suggested any person is less than another.