Three former presidents join 1,000 participants from across the globe in Zurich, Switzerland
July 12-13, 2011 : Former President of Chile, Dr. Michelle Bachelet , who now heads UN Women, Ms. Ruth Dreifuss , former President of Switzerland and Ms Mary Robinson , Chair, Mary Robinson Foundation on Climate Justice and former President of Ireland, will participate in the 4th International Women's Summit (IWS) on the theme "Women Creating a Safe World".
July 12-13, 2011, the World YWCA and its partners will host the 4th IWS, an event-packed global conference on the cutting-edge issues facing women today. This event follows the groundbreaking International Women's Summit on Women's Leadership on HIV and AIDS held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, and previous Summits held in Brisbane, Australia, Cairo, Egypt and Seoul, Korea. The Summit will be held as part of the 27th World YWCA Council at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland from July 10-16, 2011, and is organised in collaboration with the YWCA YMCA of Switzerland/CEVI.
"The Summit is an opportunity to lift our voices and demand protection of women from violence. It is also an opportunity for possible remedies for survivors of violence and to affirm the leadership of women living with HIV. Our goal is to trigger action, achieve life changing results, make a real difference" Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, General Secretary of the World YWCA
A number of prestigious speakers including H.E. Thokozani Khupe, Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA, Dr Musimbi Kanyoro, Director of the Population Program, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Jan Beagle, Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS, will explore themes ranging from "Inequality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV and Violence" to "Addressing the Social and Economic Dimensions of Violence Against Women".
Another highlight of the Summit will be the launch of the first Mary Robinson Award for Young Women’s Leadership on Human Rights. Two individuals and two organisations will be the honoured recipients of the 2011 award.
In addition, three powerful exhibitions: Rosenstrasse 76, highlighting the realities of domestic violence; No Women – No Peace , which conveys the importance of women’s work in peace building; and UNFPA's Peace Quilt exhibition displaying artistically diverse wall hangings by women from different countries, will be held during World YWCA Council 2011.
From high level policy makers and global leaders to grassroots community workers and AIDS activists, the IWS will bring together some 1,000 committed participants from over 100 countries.
PRESS CONFERENCE :
Tuesday July 12, 2011- 13.15 - Kongresshaus, Gotthardstrasse 5, Zurich
Themes: "Women Creating a Safe World " and "Women's Leadership".
Participants: Dr. Michelle Bachelet, Ms Mary Robinson, Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda and Mr. Oliver Berger, General Secretary, YWCA YMCA Switzerland.
WORLD YWCA:
The World YWCA is a global network of women leading social and economic change in 125 countries worldwide. It advocates for peace, justice, human rights and the environment and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women for over a century. The World YWCA develops women's leadership to find local solutions to the global inequalities faced by women. It reaches more than 25 million women and girls through work in 22,000 communities.
TO REGISTER FOR THE IWS AND/OR THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND FOR MORE INFORMATION , Please contact:
Vivian Hakkak
Director of Communications
World YWCA
email: vivian.hakkak@worldywca.org
tel: (0041) 22 929 60 30 - mobile: (0041) 78 740 24 22
World YWCA website: www.worldywca.org – World Council website: http://www.worldywcacouncil.org/
