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WAYS WOMEN LEAD NEWSLETTER

October 2009

(Highlighting October 24: United Nations Day, International Day of Climate Action,

and exactly one year till the opening of the WWL program in Sofia, Bulgaria)

www.wayswomenlead.net

1.We are delighted to keep you informed of the momentum building around women’s leadership and the Ways Women Lead. Please see more about the following below:

OCTOBER 24, 2009. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION

Celebrate in Sophia’s name (Delta State, Nigeria)

Activate with the Bulgarian sacred dance, Paneurhythmy (Florida, USA)

An invitation to join us in our Sophia prayer at 3:50 pm your time.

IRINA BOLKOVA OF BULGARIA IS THE NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL OF UNESCO

REPORTS OF THE UN 4th WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN BEIJING, 1995

See an inspiring video of 30,000+ women gathered for the common good.

Attend the UN NGO Forum, Feb 27-28, 2010 on the impact of Beijing

PETITION FOR A 5th WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

THE SACRED FEMININE AND WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AT THE PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS

2.We also delighted to invite you to participate in building a library of the Ways Women Lead through our website www.WaysWomenLead.net. Join us there, share your experience of how women lead, and list your initiative as an "Allied Organization". Now is the time for us to exchange our wisdom and support each other as we move toward a positive future together.

The Ways Women Lead Team

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October 24, International Day of Climate Action, http://www.350.org

Delta State, Nigeria: celebrates International Day of Climate Action as Sophia Day in Africa! Mrs. Caroline Usikpedo Omoniye, MCIA, African Coordinator for WWL in Delta State, Nigeria, is hosting Sophia Wisdom at Work in honor and celebration of October 24th, The International Day of Climate Action. They are using The Little Earth Charter as one of their resources to inspire women and girls into taking positive action. 

Naples, Florida: "Leading the Way for Sustainability" is also celebrating this day and continuing a week long set of activities. Paneurhythmy, the Bulgarian sacred dance, will be offered on Wednesday, October 28 in Naples and again on Thursday, October 29th at Happehatchee Center in Estero, Florida. All are invited to participate.

Sophia Prayer: Everyone please join us October 24th at 3:50 PM (your time) in saying our Sophia Prayer. 

Sophia, Holy Wisdom, share your vision for all humankind

Sing out your truth that we are One with all creation.

Open our eyes to the suffering caused by climate change

Give us courage to mend our destructive ways.

Widen our circle of understanding and compassion so we

Nurture, protect and preserve all living species.

Teach us how to celebrate nature in its beauty and sacredness.

Lead us in the great cosmic dance that makes us whole.

Irina Bokova of Bulgaria named Director General of UNESCO

Congratulations to Irina Bokova of Bulgaria for being awarded the post of Director General of UNESCO.  In her acceptance speech, titled UNESCO in a Globalized World: New Humanism for the 21st Century, she stated; “the major challenge is to turn the crisis into an opportunity and create a more democratic and humane world where the values of human dignity and human rights, of equal access to education and culture, will underpin all economic and political considerations.”  She also said that UNESCO should target those countries excluded from education, with a special emphasis on women and girls.   

Beijing, UN 4th Women’s World Conference Remembered and Celebrated

http://www.youtube.com/user/ecumenicalwomen is the link to the three-part Beijing video, 1995, "The World Through Women's Eyes."  We recommend watching it so that you can experience women’s leadership in action at the UN 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.  In 1995 we were 30 thousand + women attending, making us the largest gathering of women in the world and bringing into reality a global women’s movement that continues to grow and grow. Using the technology of the Internet was just coming into being.  Today we have the technology to connect us both locally and globally!

Ways Women Lead: Women and Girls in Leadership for the Common Good  invites you to come to New York City, February 27 and 28th to experience "The UN NGO Forum: Beijing + 15".

Beijing UN NGO Forum: February 27th and 28th, 2010, marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women. In recognition of this anniversary, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY is organizing an NGO Global Women’s Forum to consider implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). The Forum will take place on February 27 & 28, 2010. This Forum immediately precedes the 54th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, which will also undertake a 15-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Platform For Action. The Forum program will include two full conference days commencing with an opening ceremony, and continuing with plenary sessions, panel discussions, and workshops. To register and for more information go to  http://ngocswny.wordpress.com .

5WCW Petition

This is a time to be an active advocate for a future 5th United Nations World Conference on Women, which would be the most influential and far-reaching women’s conference ever held. If the decision to hold it were to be made this year, in 2009, it could take place in 2012 and be the first with widespread use of the Internet and other 21st century technologies. The three years leading up to the conference would be a time for consciousness-raising, networking, and creating circles for action, reflection, and support.   Go to http://www.5wcw.org/index.html for the petition and more information.

The Parliament of the World’s Religions  

The program staff at the Parliament of the World's Religions has not only defined a cluster of presentations entitled, “Women’s Leadership”, but they have also tentatively approved a proposal to create an event to honor and celebrate the Sacred Feminine at the 2009 Parliament.  The Parliament brings together spiritual leaders from around the globe every five years and was created to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and to foster a just, peaceful and sustainable world.  The next Parliament is scheduled to convene in Melbourne, Australia, December 4-9th, 2009 and presents an exciting opportunity to raise awareness about the Sacred Feminine.

Kathe Schaaf and Meredith Tenney want your help and invite your thoughts and ideas for the celebration.  They are particularly seeking recommendations of groups and/or individuals that might like to participate with a short presentation of music, dance, poetry or song. If you know a group who might like to participate, please let them know, and if you will be in Melbourne.  Contact Meredith Tenney at

http://us.mc540.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=meredithhtenney@yahoo.com and Kathe Schaaf at http://us.mc540.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=katheschaaf@cox.net

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