2005 Celebrations Every year on 8 March, both at and away from Headquarters, UNESCO celebrates International Women’s Day, a flagship event which highlights at the international level questions relating to the empowerment of women and the promotion of gender equality.

 

This year, in connection with the celebrations of International Women’s Day and the 10th anniversary of the World Conference on Women in Beijing (China), UNESCO is organizing throughout the month a series of events, which aim to draw the public’s attention to a variety of themes concerning women. - Message from the Director-General - International Women's Day in UNESCO Field Offices - United Nations Review and Appraisal for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action Events taking place in Headquarters :

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2 - 3 March 2005 - L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science - (L'OREAL/UNESCO) International jury to award five outstanding women researchers, in condensed matter sciences (physics and chemistry), one from each continent.

7 to 24 March 2005 - Exhibit "ART – ROBE: Women Artists at the Nexus of Fashion and Art" - (UNESCO - BSP/WGE) The exhibit will focus on the cultural and artistic accomplishments of outstanding women artists who use elements of fashion or fabrics in their creative work. Leading women artists from all regions of the world will be invited to take part in the exhibition with their works Artists include: Maja Bajević; Louise Bourgeois; Cat Chow; Colette ; Sylvie Fleury; Regina Frank ; Marie-Ange Guilleminot; Gluklya & Tsaplya - Factory of Found Clothes; Gudrun Kampl ; Majida Khattari; Kimsooja; Yayoi Kusama; Ruriko Murayama; Ingrid Mwangi; Lucy Orta; Donna Rosenthal; Beverly Semmes; Nicole Tran Ba Vang; Janaina Tschape; Johanna Unzueta; Mâkhi Xenakis ; Yim Ja-hyuk; Yin Xiuzhen; Pinar Yolacan ; Andrea Zittel ; and with the special participation of the Comtesse Setsuko Klossovska de Rola et de Dorette Kuster-Oehlers.

7 March 2005 - Round Table : "Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a more Secure Future for Women Reporters"; ROOM II, 3 to 6pm - (UNESCO) Event to be held in collaboration with La Mairie of Boulogne-Billancourt. Women reporters from all over the world will discuss the topic “Violence against women” and the role of the media. With the participation of: Joseph, Ammu (India); Tlemcani, Salima (Algeria); Anyanwu, Cristine (Nigeria); Politkovskaya, Anna (Russian Federation); Sarwar, Beena (Pakistan), etc.

8 March 2005 - Round Table : "Making a Difference: Women Role Models"; ROOM II, 3 to 6pm - (UNESCO - BSP/WGE) Event to be held with leading women working in different sectors and from all parts of the world. With the participation of: Conception Campa (Cuba); Naomi Chazan (Israel); Iris Halili (Albania); Marie-Laurence Saladin (France), etc.

8 March 2005 - Theatre play : "Coiffure pour dames"; Salle de Cinéma, 8:30pm - (UNESCO & Dia Danse Théâtre) Comedy drama by Robert Harling; Adaptation by Michèle Laroque et Claire Nadeau; Directed by Patrick Benoit; With: Sandrine Guellerin, Agnès Heugue, Bernadette de Blic, Isabelle Lavedrine, Marie-Thérèse Conilh de Beyssac and Anne Thomas

10 March 2005 - Screening of the documentary : "If I Stand Up"; ROOM XII - 6:30pm - (UNESCO/AINA) Documentary on the political life of women in Afghanistan produced by Afghan camerawomen in collaboration with UNESCO and the non-governmental organization Aïna. The documentary includes four 13-minutes portraits. A photo exhibit by Roshanak Bahramlou will take place at the same time.

15 March 2005 - Conference : "Modernity and Peace" ; ROOM IV all day - () Conference organised by the Section for Women and Gender Equality of the Bureau of Strategic Planning of UNESCO and the Association of Inter- Cultural and Inter-Religious Dialogue, and the support of the Consultative Committee of the UNESCO Arabia project, and the Association «Convention Laïque pour l’Egalité ». With the participation of: Ms Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, Mr. Edgar Morin, Mr. Théo Klein, Ms Sylviane Villaudière, Ms Fadila Mehal, Mr Yazid Sabeg, Ms Samira Hanna-El-Daher, Mr Nassif Hitti, Mr Michel Cool, Mr Salah Stétié, Ms Alima Boumediene, Mr Ghaleb Bencheikh, Ms Dounia Bouzar, Ms Rasha Al Sabbah et Ms Maha Al Soudeiri.

1 March, United Nations, New York, "Interventions to counter violence against women" - () Event organized on the occasion of the 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (New York, 28 Feb-11 March 2005). The Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations holds a conference at the United Nations in New York with Ms Carole Théberge, Minister for the Family, Senior Citizens and the Status of Women of Québec, Ms Gülser Corat, Head of the Women and Gender Equality Section of UNESCO, and Ms Berthé Aissata Bengaly, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family of Mali.

8 March, United Nations, NY - Panel Discussion on "Best Practices and Strategies to Combat Trafficking of Women and Children in Africa" - () Event organized on the occasion of the 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (New York, 28 Feb-11 March 2005).

20 Films to Celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March - (UNESCO) In order to mark International Women's Day on 8 March this year, UNESCO’s Audiovisual E-Platform proposes 20 films about women's issues, such as women's rights, development, employment, social role models, among others, which can be used for broadcasting by TV channels as well as for cultural activities or other related events planned for 8 March.

WOMEN MAKE THE NEWS 2005 - (UNESCO) UNESCO’s Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, launches for the fourth time the global initiative “Women Make the News”. UNESCO appeals to all media producing daily news to hand over editorial responsibility to women to cast the news on that day.