Women’s Day 2013 – Luncheon and Roundtable Discussions
Keynote Address: Arlene Perly Rae, Journalist, Author & Arts Patron
Date: March 8th, 2013, 11:30am
Venue: Fr. Madden Auditorium, Carr Hall, Room 100, 100 St Joseph Street, Toronto ON
Organizers: Intercultural Dialogue Institute Toronto and Campus Ministry at University of St. Michael’s College at University of Toronto, Supported by: Rabanus Project and Anatolian Heritage Society Campus Groups
Discussion Topic: How can women cooperate among each other & with the whole society towards achieving peace in oUR world?
Summary of Discussions:
* Share our stories without crosstalking allowing people to have the opportunity to speak and be heard. Not being negative in our dialogue…
* Women have to start from themselves first (respect and acceptance). We should be at peace, with ourselves first and then with each other. Crossing boundaries of differences- connecting our hearts…
* Strong women, build strong communities. Strong networking would bring women together to fight poverty, isolation, unemployment, crime rate. More women involvement in politics will bring more peace and less conflict on the globe…
* Mentorship, dialogue with others, and participating in interfaith dialogue is essential.
Schools are breeding ground for better understanding; curriculum that promotes pluralism is important…
* Increasing number of women as representatives in politics is important. Events such as this one motivate women to engage more with the politics. Quota system which would force parties to run and find women can be implemented.
* Educate women with human rights, so that as nurturers, care givers, teachers they set the standard for future generations, the standard of respect, the standard of expectation, the standard of equality as humans. Educate a boy, you educate one; educate a girl, you educate a community…
* Be engaged in diverse groups, Encourage agencies/organizations to engage with diverse workforce
Step out of personal comfort zone, personal contact with others different from yourself – racially or culturally…
*
Listen to each other and trust,
Then try to understand
Then help if you can
Feel free to express yourself
Have self-respect and respect for one another
As mothers, teach this to sons and daughters
Understand that the word women means all women, of all diversities…
