Although March 8 is the official date on which International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world, the events that are scheduled to honor the day need not necessarily be scheduled on that particular day. In fact, hundreds of events are scheduled throughout the entire month of March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Different women's groups and country governments may choose their own respective themes to honor the day, but ultimately, regardless of what the theme is or where the events are held, everything is designed to illustrate global and local issues that are of greatest importance to women.
Here is a look at a few of the many events that will be held to mark International Women's Day 2010. These events are confined to the United States and are designed to reflect a broad representation of different areas of the U.S.
*AUSTIN, TEXAS -
Date: March 8, 2010, starting at 5 PM and going through March 12, 2010 at 8 PM.
Event: Ten Thousand Villages International Women's Day Benefit Night
Sponsoring Organization: Ten Thousand Villages of Austin (A non-profit trade organization that works with artisans from 38 developing countries.)
Location: Ten Thousand Villages, Austin - 1317 South Congress, Austin, TX 78704
The benefit night shopping is a fund raiser for local non-profit organizations dedicated to helping girls and women.
*BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - (Includes the Washington DC metro area)
Date: March 6, 2010 11:30 AM to 2 PM (EST)
Location: Hyatt Regency, 300 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Education: The Power to Change ~ International Women's Day Luncheon.
The luncheon is designed to educate participants in order to reduce the effects of war trauma and to provide stability and structure to refugees and people who are displaced after emergencies.
*CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -
Date: March 6, 2010 - 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM (CST)
Location: St. Andrew's Church, SJ Gregory Auditorium, 5649 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660
Event: Women Leaders: A cross cultural women's symposium.
This is a symposium presenting a cross cultural representation of women from diverse backgrounds who are leaders in their fields. The goal is to recognize and heighten awareness of women's issues with a cross cultural forum to highlight the common threads among different cultures.
*DENVER, COLORADO -
Date: March 6, 2010, 5 PM to 8 PM (MST)
Location: Ten Thousand Villages, 2626 E. Third Ave., Denver, CO. 80206 -
Sponsoring Organization: Ten Thousand Villages, Denver
Ten Thousand Villages, Denver is a non-profit fair trade store that supports women artisans in more than 30 developing countries.
Event: International Women's Day will feature films, food and fair trade shopping. There will be a free viewing of the widely acclaimed documentary entitled "A Powerful Noise," starting at 6 PM.
*BROOKLYN, NY -
Date: March 6, 2010 1PM to 5 PM (EST)
Event: Memorial for Haitian earthquake victims and women's rights activists Myriam Merlet, Anne Marie Coriolan and Magalie Marcelin.
Sponsoring Organization: Dwa Fanm - (Meaning women's rights in Haitian Creole.) Dwa Fanm is a human rights organization with a commitment to empowering all girls and women with the freedom to control and define their own lives and rights. The organization works to end discrimination, violence and all forms of injustice both abroad and in New York. It does so through education, advocacy and grass roots programs.
This year's event is a special tribute to the memory of three women who died in the Haitian earthquake. These incredibly heroic women fought to make rape a criminal offense in 2005. Their lives were tragically cut short by the devastating earthquake.
*SAN FRANCISCO/BERKELEY, CA -
Date: March 8, 2010
Event: International Women's Day Newsletter- Women's Stories from Around the Globe.
A special edition of the Museletter will be released on International Women's Day. It is designed to bring women from all over the world together. This year, the chosen theme for the newsletter is Women, Ancestry and Self Fulfillment. The Museletter will showcase stories related to the theme by women from all over the world. Women from all across the world are encouraged to write their stories in their own language.
Sponsoring Organization: SpiralMuse. SpiralMuse is a non-profit organization that is designed to connect women from all over the world through women's circles, self expression and ritual.
*VIENNA, VA/ WASHINGTON DC -
Date: March 8, 2010 - 8 AM to March 9, 2010 at 10PM (EST)
Event: Every Woman Has A Story: Change Her Story, Change History
World Vision/ Women of Vision - Conference and Lobby Day. Get inspired by, learn and lobby at Capitol Hill on March 9, 2010.
Location: Sheraton Premiere, Tyson's Corner, Vienna, VA (Washington, DC)
*SAINT PAUL, MN -
March 7, 2010 9 AM to 12 NOON (CST)
Event: 2010 Women's Humanitarian Day heart Heart to Heart -
An invitation to all women in the Minneapolis/St. Paul community to participate in putting together necessary items for women's shelters. Free to participate and a light lunch will be served.
Venue: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 100 Silver Lake Road NW, new Brighton, MN 55112
Sponsoring Organizations: Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,) and the Saint Paul Relief Society - along with 6 million women who are focused on becoming a world wide sisterhood to build faith, strengthen families and provide service.
This is just a sampling of some of the events that will be held across the United States in honor of International Women's Day. Additionally, elsewhere throughout the world, different communities in different countries will hold their own events, all designed to address the needs of women in their communities or women throughout the world. The global effort at bringing women together to champion various causes, and to support, encourage and protect one another is nothing short of miraculous. All over the world, there are still women who suffer from injustice, and it is the hope of these organizations that their efforts will one day eradicate all injustice against women.
ADDITIONAL SOURCE:
International Women's Day Events in the United States