Women, Power, & Peace |
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| September 14, 2007 - September 16, 2007 |
| Rhinebeck Campus: Rhinebeck, NY (US) |
| Tuition: $325 (does not include accommodations or commuter fee)
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| Course: SM07-4502-742 |
| Tuition discounts are not available.
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| | Registration for this workshop has ended. Go to the Search Workshops page to look for upcoming workshops. | | |
| Sally Field and Sochua Mu will be unable to attend this conference. | | |
Presented by The Women's Institute at Omega and V-Day in collaboration with the Nobel Women's Initiative, Women, Power & Peace features such celebrated faculty as Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, and Shirin Ebadi.
This conference begins Friday at 8 p.m. and ends Sunday at 4 p.m.
What is peace? What is the connection between women and peace? What kind of power facilitates peace? What is the relationship between inner peace and peace in the world? How do we bring about just and sustainable peace?
Join us to explore questions about women, power, and peace at this historic gathering. This is the 5th Women and Power conference organized by Omega and V-Day—conferences hailed for their courageous speakers and their uplifting, inclusive atmosphere.
Since the Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901, only 12 recipients have been women. They are:
- 1905 Bertha von Suttner (Austria, deceased)
- 1931 Jane Adams (USA, deceased)
- 1946 Emily G. Balch (USA, deceased)
- 1976 Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan (Ireland) for founding the Northern Ireland Peace Movement
- 1979 Mother Teresa (India, deceased)
- 1982 Alva Myrdal (Sweden, deceased)
- 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma, under house arrest) for her human rights works
- 1992 Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala) for her campaigns for human rights, especially for indigenous peoples.
- 1997 Jody Williams (USA) and The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) for their work for the banning and clearing of anti-personnel mines.
- 2003 Shirin Ebadi (Iran) for her efforts for democracy and human rights
- 2004 Wangari Maathai (Kenya) for sustainable development
Four of these remarkable Nobel laureates (in bold above) grace the Omega stage at this conference. Each of them started as an ordinary citizen, empowered by the conviction that peace is possible. Wangari Maathai, who spoke at the 2005 Women and Power conference, is unable to attend this conference because she is running for Parliament in Kenya, and will be winding down her campaign. In her stead, we have invited American environmentalist Majora Carter whose work involves linking social justice with the environment, much like Professor Maathai. Aung San Suu Kyi, still under house arrest in Burma for her civil rights work, is represented by a video in conversation with the other laureates. Mairead Corrigan is unable to attend the conference.
The achievements of the four laureates presenting at this conference—Shirin Ebadi, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Betty Williams, and Jody Williams—challenge the notion that humankind is doomed to greed and warfare. The laureates are joined by other groundbreaking peacemakers, activists, artists, and leaders from around the world. Their presence inspires each one of us to speak boldly from our own voice, to help break humanity's habit of violence, and to replace it with a culture of love and justice. As Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize says, "We will surely get to our destination if we join hands."
Women and men are invited to attend.
2007 Conference Theme
The theme of the conference focuses on the necessity for women to stand up for what we have always known: that while conflict may be inevitable, war is not; and while disagreement can foster understanding and growth, violence does not. The conference highlights bold action steps that women are initiating all over the world in their families, communities, and the public spheres to dignify and legitimize the values of love and communication; to heal societies and individuals from the scars of violence and war; and to create imaginative and effective approaches to conflict.
Women & Power Conferences
This is the 5th Women and Power conference organized and moderated by Elizabeth Lesser, author, and cofounder of Omega Institute, and Eve Ensler, one of America's most influential playwrights, creator of the Vagina Monologues, and the founder of V-Day. Women all over the world have hailed the Women and Power conferences for their marriage of inner peace with outer action; for their groundbreaking speakers; and for their uplifting atmosphere of love and community.
Who Attends?
Women—and men—from all over the world, from different backgrounds, races, age groups, and careers. Our scholarship program brings between 50 and 100 young women to the conference.
Conference Structure
During the conference each Nobel laureate will present a keynote talk, engage in an
on-stage interview with Eve Ensler, and offer a workshop. Other speakers and performers will add keynote speeches, panel discussions, music, and theater to the schedule. Yoga, meditation, and movement classes will be offered, as well as opportunities for rest and relaxation on the Omega campus.
Performances
Experience a once-in-a-lifetime reading of Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets, a groundbreaking play about women, war, and the enduring resilience of the human spirit. The play features Academy Award winner Jane Fonda and Academy Award nominated Kerry Washington; Shiva Rose; Emma Myles; and Tony Award winner Marian Seldes, with music provided by Sussan Deyhim. After the reading, we engage in a talkback session with the actors and women from international conflict zones.
We are also honored to be joined by one of the great singer-songwriters of our times, Natalie Merchant, who performs on the Omega stage.
Workshops
Conference attendees have the opportunity to work with the Nobel laureates and other speakers and performers in smaller group settings—workshops and discussion groups that help participants turn their instincts for peace into action. Workshops explore the ingredients necessary for sustainable peace; highlight the issues of women around the world; and provide skills for developing inner peace, creativity, and personal empowerment. Participants will choose a workshop once they arrive at Omega.
Women From Conflict Zones
War exponentially increases the crimes of violence against women and girls. In equal measure, the strength and resilience of women in rebuilding their communities and leading governments to peaceful solutions must be celebrated. We are pleased once again to bring to the conference stage women from international conflict zones to talk about the work they are doing to wage peace. They include Malalai Joya from Afghanistan; Rada Boric from Croatia; Myriam Merlet from Haiti; and Sochua Mu from Cambodia.
Sponsors
The Women's Institute at Omega, a dynamic new component of Omega, is dedicated to empowering women around the world. It has grown out of the momentum created by the annual Women and Power conferences that Omega has presented in partnership with V-Day since 2002. It seeks to sustain throughout the year the community and inspiration generated at the conferences through trainings, workshops, and scholarship programs.
V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. Founded by Eve Ensler, V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual slavery. To learn about V-Day's exciting and important work, visit www.vday.org.
The Nobel Women's Initiative The Nobel Women's Initiative was established in 2006 by sister Nobel Peace Prize laureates Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Betty Williams, and Jody Williams. These women—representing North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa-bring together their extraordinary experiences in a united effort for peace with justice and equality. Their goal is to meaningfully contribute to building peace by working together with women around the world. Please visit them online to learn more about their work. www.nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Media Partner
Feminist.com features the latest news, information, and resources of interest to women and men. Online since 1995, Feminist.com continues to expand its mission of "Awareness, Education, Activism, Empowerment" with new and exciting content. Visit feminist.com for original articles, news, activism alerts, events, anti-violence resources, women-owned business listings, an advice column, and more. |
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