Strong leadership, strong women, strong world: equality.
That’s the Canadian theme for the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day on Tuesday, March 8.
The roots of International Women’s Day (IWD) can be traced back to the struggles of women workers in the late 19th and early 20th century, who campaigned for fair wages, safe working conditions, eight-hour days and an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.
Around the same time, women in many countries were campaigning for the right to vote. In 1910, women representing 17 countries voted to establish an international day for women. The first IWD was celebrated in 1911.
IWD is officially celebrated in 62 countries around the world and in several countries it’s a national holiday.
Here in the Comox Valley, four organizations are partnering to host an IWD celebration: Comox Valley Transition Society, Comox Valley Women’s Resource Centre, World Community Development Education Society, and Welcoming and Inclusive Communities.
The evening will start with a community potluck at 5:30, on March 8 at the K’ómoks First Nation Band Hall, 3320 Comox Rd. Three short films will be shown, starting at 7.
The first, Music by Prudence, won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short and was a big hit on opening night of the World Community Film Festival this year. If you missed that event, this is another opportunity to see this poignant and inspiring film that traces the path of a young Zimbabwean woman with a disability and her remarkable transcendence from a world of hatred and superstition into one of music, love and possibilities.
Kick Like a Girl is the story of what happens when The Mighty Cheetahs, an undefeated third-grade girls’ soccer team, competes in the boys’ division. The film is narrated by eight-year old Lizzie, who doesn’t let juvenile diabetes, elbow blocks or grass stains interfere with her desire to compete.
The last film, Hannah’s Story, gives new meaning to the term “role model.” At age five, Hannah spotted her first homeless person in the back alleys of Winnipeg. This experience drove her to do nothing less than change the world, leading to the establishment of The Ladybug Foundation. Under Hannah’s leadership, that charity has raised more than $1 million for those lacking life’s basic needs.
The four hosting organizations invite everyone to this free, family-friendly event. Bring a potluck dish and help celebrate this remarkable anniversary.
For more information, call 250-897-0511.
