March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women and their many social, economic, cultural and political achievements. On March 8, countries around the world celebrate International Women’s Day through different demonstrations, events, and customs. This year’s global theme is #pledgeforparity which is a call for gender-balanced leadership, respect and value difference, develop more inclusive and flexible cultures or root out workplace bias.
Here are some interesting Women’s Day events that celebrate the accomplishments and being of females from around the globe.
Washington, D.C.
Several Women’s Day events are being held in our Capital, including a women’s Mapathon, hosted by the Missing Maps Project and the American Red Cross. Participants are invited to volunteer to develop more detailed maps of and gather more information about vulnerable or underdeveloped regions of the world. The data will be used for “planning, disaster response operations, and to address community needs with the full support of communities.” Women’s participation in the project is vital, according to the Missing Maps Project, because “women are typically better integrated into communities and are often more aware of the diverse needs of their fellow community members.”
Brisbane, Australia
March 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the Mater Chicks in Pink Fun Run, aimed at supporting women with breast cancer. The hope this year is to raise enough funds to provide 15,600 “support items” in recognition of the 15,600 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia last year. These items include counseling services, mastectomy bras, and house cleaning services for the women being treated at Mater, a healthcare provider in Brisbane.
London, United Kingdom
For the sixth year in a row, Women’s Day is being celebrated in London with a Women of the World, or WOW, Festival. The WOW Festival begins on March 8 and continues for almost a week. It features over 150 events, including talks, debates, workshops, and live music. This year, the festival will cover topics varying from “body image, sex, women in business, refugees and criminal justice, to transgender, race, disability and childcare,” according to the event description.
Hong Kong
The Women’s Foundation hosted a Gala Lunch on March 4 this year in commemoration of the event and invited Jason Katz, Ph.D., an American educator, author, filmmaker and cultural theorist, internationally renowned for his pioneering scholarship and activism on issues of gender and violence, as the feature speaker.
Bangalore, India
Shenomics, a women’s leadership organization, is hosting a Closet Party in the city of Bangalore. “The day of the event come with your items, network with other women, and swap your pieces for something new that you love. It’s better than shopping, it’s swapping!!” says the event description. The proceeds from the event will be given to the Educate Girls charity.
Zurich, Switzerland
Switzerland is one of the countries that has been celebrating Women’s Day with events like parades, walks, and performances since the early 1900s. This year, the American Women’s Club of Zurich is celebrating with a walk across the Quaibrücke Bridge. It was inspired by the Join Me on the Bridge campaign, started in 2010, when women from Congo and Rwanda joined together on the bridge connecting their two countries to represent peace and hope for the future.
College Park, Md.
UMD is celebrating Women’s History Month with a variety of events, film screenings and talks. You can check out the calendar here to get involved with this momentous day!