{"id":9962,"date":"2024-03-11T17:02:51","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T16:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/st-albans-and-district\/?p=9962"},"modified":"2024-03-27T15:02:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T14:02:52","slug":"iwd24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/st-albans-and-district\/2024\/iwd24\/","title":{"rendered":"International Women’s Day – an important date in the Soroptimist calendar"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>As always Soroptimists have been busy around\u00a0International Women\u2019s Day \u2013<\/strong> a really important day in the calendar for women\u2019s rights campaigners all over the world.\u00a0The two themes for IWD this year are\u00a0#InspireInclusion<\/strong>, and the United Nations theme: #InvestInWomen<\/strong> – see below for more information.<\/p>\n

Jane Slatter was interviewed for MIX 92.6<\/strong> – you can click here and listen to the 10 minute recording that was played during shows in the week of International Women’s Day\u00a0https:\/\/mix926.com\/highlight\/soroptimists-iwd\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>On Friday 8 Mar three Members of Soroptimist International St Albans & District, Debbie Tankard, Linda Middleton and Jane Slatter were at St Albans Girls\u2019 School<\/a> for their International Women\u2019s Day\u00a0Inspiring Women Careers Event\u00a0<\/em>for Year 8 and Year 12 Students. <\/span><\/strong>The photos of the event were taken by the school. <\/span>The students are told that t<\/span>he purpose of the careers networking event is to provide them with the opportunity to meet with and learn about a variety of different careers, hearing about the journey that different people have made into their chosen profession, the qualifications that they have gained and the various different routes into careers today. They are encouraged to ask lots of questions to the women they meet with. These girls all have a great future \u2013 we hope we helped to inspire them! Soroptimists have been participating in this annual event since it\u2019s i<\/span>nception. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"SISTA<\/a><\/strong>At the Club Meeting on 11 March,<\/strong> Members focused on remarkable and inspiring women<\/strong> to mark International Women’s Day<\/strong>. The photo is of everyone (except Jane who took the photo) making the shape of a heart with their hands and wearing purple of Soroptimist blue for the #InspireInclusion campaign – please see below for more information about the campaign.<\/p>\n

Jean introduced Canadian artist Emily Carr<\/strong> (applauded in Canada, but hardly known in the UK – you can read more here https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Emily_Carr<\/a>, Helen introduced local St Albans artist Rana Begum\u00a0<\/strong> https:\/\/www.ranabegum.com\/<\/a> who currently has an exhibition on at the St Albans Museum and Gallery (several people had been to the exhibition and encouraged others to go while it is on until 14 Apr. Janet A-C had wanted to talk about her too – and is going to ask if she can speak to the Club on Zoom sometime. Debbie spoke about the swiss artist Angelica Kauffman <\/strong>who was one of two female painters among the founding members of the Royal Academy in London in 1768, where she was permitted to exhibit her work, mainly as a “History” painter https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Angelica_Kauffman<\/a>. Gill then introduced Laura Knight who was the third female full member of the Royal Academy https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Laura_Knight<\/a>. Jane spoke about Millicent Fawcett<\/strong> – an icon for International Women’s Day in the UK, who drove the suffragist movement so that women got the vote. She was the first woman honoured by a statue in Parliament Square https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Millicent_Fawcett<\/a>. It was fitting that Janet T had recently attended the unveiling of the blue plaque in St Albans to remember Betty Entwistle, t<\/strong>he first female Town Clerk in the country https:\/\/www.hertsad.co.uk\/news\/24114867.st-albans-blue-plaque-remember-first-female-town-clerk\/.<\/a>\u00a0Sarah then introduced us to the Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi <\/strong>https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Artemisia_Gentileschi <\/a> Gentileschi was the first woman to become a member of the Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence and she had an international clientele. Coincidentally Sarah had considered talking about Angelika Kauffman who Debbie spoke about! Last but not least Denise talked about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson –<\/strong> the sister of fellow suffragist Millicent Fawcett who Jane had spoken about earlier. Elizabeth is known for being the first woman to qualify in Britain as a physician and surgeon and as a co-founder and dean of the London School of Medicine for Women, which was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. She was the first female dean of a British medical school, the first woman in Britain to be elected to a school board and, as mayor of Aldeburgh, the first female mayor in Britain https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elizabeth_Garrett_Anderson<\/a><\/p>\n

They are indeed all remarkable and inspiring women! It was interesting that so many members chose artists – this was purely coincidental and a nice surprise for everyone!<\/p>\n

Helen drew our attention to an exhibition at Verulamium Museum<\/a>, about the female archaeologists of the 1930s who brought Verulamium to life, called Women doing everything, everywhere, all at once. <\/strong>It runs from 8 March to 4 July 2024 and the Club plans to visit on Sat 27 April when\u00a0 Members of our Soroptimist friendship link Club in Muenster will be visiting.<\/p>\n

What an inspiring Club meeting!<\/strong><\/p>\n

13 of the 60 attendees at the SI London Chilterns Region Special International Women\u2019s Day event at Knebworth House on Sat 16 Mar were SI St Albans and District Club Members – click here to read all about it! sigbi.org\/london-chilterns\/iwd24<\/a><\/strong> The event was wonderful! It included a visit to the mausoleum where suffragette Lady Constance Lytton ashes are held, a tour of the gardens, a tour of the house, afternoon tea and a talk about the life of the inspirational Lady Constance Lytton. The photo below was taken in the barn where afternoon tea was served, with everyone making the shape of a heart with their hands and many wearing the violet, white and green colours for women’s suffrage.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

International Women\u2019s Day 2024 campaign theme: #InspireInclusion<\/h2>\n

www.internationalwomensday.com\/Theme<\/a>\u00a0The aim of the IWD 2024\u00a0#InspireInclusion\u00a0<\/strong>campaign is to collectively forge a more inclusive world for women.<\/p>\n

This year we are asked to make a shape of a heart with our hands in photos.<\/p>\n

United Nations International Women\u2019s Day 2024 \u2013 #InvestInWomen : Accelerate progress<\/h2>\n

www.un.org\/en\/observances\/womens-day<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Achieving gender equality and women\u2019s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, we are facing a key challenge: the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030.<\/p>\n

Join us on March 8, 2024, for International Women\u2019s Day under the theme \u2018Invest in women: Accelerate progress\u201d, and take a stand with us using the hashtag #InvestInWomen.<\/p>\n

Here are five key areas needing joint action:<\/p>\n