International Women's Day
To be in a country which we consider on any given day blessed and privileged, one would assume women’s rights to be a given but as we have witnessed more than ever over the last few weeks that nothing should be assumed and that women rights will be an ongoing battle for many decades to come wherever power will be in place in all the forms it may take.
But today, I choose, while aware of the many daily challenges faced by so many women in so many parts of the world just to survive, HOPE because I am a woman and because I am a mother of two daughters and for them, I am committed to bringing change, whatever small change it may be.
As I always try to lead my life by the motto of being the best version of myself, of being kind, respectful honest and loyal and treat others the way I would always like to be treated, I believe that these small changes are possible and multiplied by all the wonderful women I am surrounded with in my own small community. We can achieve at least around us an environment for other women to come into, a welcoming, warm and safe place free of judgment, enthusiastic to learn from each other's life experiences and beliefs.
So, I have asked a few of my dear friends what this year’s theme means to them and I hope it will give the wish to stop in your steps and allow you in for just a few minutes es to reflect, maybe rejoice or lament but let it be hope in those thoughts because hope is what we can always have and hold.
xxx
Gaelle
Ai-Ch’ng Gan Bhullar
I promise to be unafraid in my exploration and acceptance of all aspects of myself, knowing when to push myself and when to be gentle and doing so, support other women on their journey to self-acceptance and expression.
Sonia Beato - Smooth Ceramics
Covid has set to change the world but not all of those changes are necessarily negative.
As a reflection of this event, this year I would like to focus an extra step on quality vs quantity in business as in my personal life.
Belen Bergenza
Cut my environmental footprint by half and encourage people around me to do the same.
Chante Campbell Morrison
I choose to challenge the bias that mothers are to ‘‘emotional and unreliable for the workforce’’! I wish to encourage mothers to feed their babies if and how they want and for how long they wish, while kicking ass managing a career they feel passionate about, have the family they choose all while they have a supportive community cheering them along. This is the true meaning of ‘it takes a village to raise a mother’!
Amanda Conway
In 2021, I want to strive to not worry about what I do and why and to just enjoy the fact that I can.
Natalia Fidyka
I choose to challenge the imbalances in what our society values.
The rights and equality of women and nature are in part hinged on our individual state of connection or disconnection; to self, to each other and the greatest mother, the Earth.
I commit myself to a business and life dedicated to cultivating heartfulness, intuition and connection as steps towards normalising deep respect and reverie of women and nature.
Fiona Wright - The Stitching Project
Choose to make the best I can living straddled across two continents and unable to visit back and forth.