Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Happy International Women's Day


Life is strange sometimes. I did a search of Wikipedia (the free online encyclopedia) for International Women's Day and nothing came up. Slip of the finger, maybe it wasn't time for me to find it yet, who knows! At any rate, it's there -- a lot of information on this day. Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day.

Here is a quote about this day from www.un.org:
International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

So what can we do today to express our solidarity as women on this planet at this point in time wherever we’re at?
We can celebrate close to home – our daughters, mothers, grandmothers – say thank you, say I love you, say you are beautiful, say you are powerful – say I am with you.

We can express our power in this global community by speaking out on issues important to us like world peace, respect for mother earth – like ACTION – not just talk. Take a look online. There are peace petitions you can sign, groups you can connect with. We will be heard. We must speak up.

It is with great love and respect that I forward this message to you. And blessings on this beautiful new day.

Anais



Women's Day founders Zetkin and Kollontai took part in the most famous International Women's Day—the March 8, 1917, strike "for bread and peace" led by Russian women in St. Petersburg. The February Revolution, as it became known, forced the Czar Nicholas II to abdicate.