March 15th, 2008 will mark the 13th Annual International Women’s Day Celebration in Minnesota. In the 12 years since the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, we have witnessed major advances in women’s rights and equality – but much more remains to be done. Our local event is an occasion to highlight these advancements, to encourage further activism, and to educate participants about human rights issues that affect women and girls locally, nationally and internationally. Join us as we also celebrate the extraordinary diversity and strength of Minnesota women and work to promote increased understanding and tolerance in our community.
International Women’s Day is co-presented by The Advocates for Human Rights and the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota. The event will take place on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota. The day will feature an outstanding keynote speaker, panels and workshops on a variety of women’s human rights issues, film, performances and visual arts. The program for the day is designed to draw attention to the twelve areas of concern articulated in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This celebration is free and open to the public and regularly draws between 500-700 participants.
International Women’s Day is a great opportunity for your organization to share its work on issues affecting women and girls in Minnesota and throughout the world. Co-sponsoring organizations will be listed in the program and on our website and will be included in the IWD publicity brochure, which is distributed to more than 6,000 individuals and organizations in Minnesota. Most significantly, as a co-sponsor, your organization will be a part of educating hundreds of IWD participants, as well as creating and sustaining energy and commitment to women’s human rights in Minnesota.
What does it mean to be an IWD co-sponsor? All co-sponsors are expected to publicize the event to their members. In addition, we encourage co-sponsors to be involved by:
1. Making a financial contribution. There is no set fee to participate as a co-sponsoring organization, but we strongly encourage all organizations to make a contribution to help defray the costs of this free event. (See suggested amounts on co-sponsor form.)
2. Providing a display table at the event.
3. Providing member volunteers to work at the event.
In order to ensure that we include your organization in the IWD brochure, please return the co-sponsor form no later than December 21st. We recommend getting your form in as soon as possible, since table space is limited and usually fills to capacity.
If you have questions, please contact Mary Hunt, IWD Coordinator, at 612-341-3302, ext. 107 or email her at mhunt@mnadvocates.org. We look forward to partnering with you on International Women’s Day 2008!
