UNESCO - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to visit UNESCO, for International Women’s Day

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to visit UNESCO, for International Women’s Day

Editorial Contact:	Isabelle Le Fournis, Press Relations Section, tel. +33 (0)1 45 68 17 48 - Email
Audiovisual Contact:	Carole Darmouni, Audiovisual Section, tel. +33 (0)1 45 68 17 38 - Email

06-03-2006 3:00 pm The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected president of an African country, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, will open an international conference entitled Women in Politics organized by UNESCO within the framework of the celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March. The celebration includes several events from 6 to 30 March at the Organization’s Headquarters under the general heading Women and Decision-Making.

On 8 March, in Room II from 3pm to 6pm, the Women in Politics conference will bring together, among others, women ministers who speak of their experiences, the opportunities they had and obstacles they met, as well as the impact of their work in determining the place of women in political life.

Three exhibitions will be inaugurated at 6:30 p.m., following the conference: Dialogues, by the photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba from Cameroon, (Salle des Pas Perdus); Bertha von Suttner: A Life for Peace, a tribute to this Austrian who was the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (Salle Miro); Women Rebuilding Life in Post-Tsunami Asia, by Italian photo-journalist Agostino Pacciani (Salle des Actes).

The day’s programme will end with a concert by women from different regions of the globe, “Voice of Women, but not only...” organized by the Melody for Dialogue Among Civilizations Association (Room I at 7.30 p.m.).

On March 6, an event dedicated to “Women builders of Africa” will include a screening of the documentary film Women Builders of Niger (23 minutes, in French) produced by the NGO Afrique sans Frontières (A.S.F.) - Bâtir et Développer (6 p.m.; Room IV). The screening will be followed by a debate on African Women Architects. An exhibition, Touareg Women of Niger and Kassena Women of Burkina Faso. will be opened at 8 p.m. in Foyer I.

On 10 March (Room II at 2.30 p.m.) a round table debate on Women of Exception, moderated by French journalist Patricia Loison, will gather handicapped women artists, business leaders, engineers, architects and activists, including Antonella Ferrari (Italy), Grace Treko (Ghana), Louise Baron (Canada), as well as Lila Derridj, Roxane Suchier and Aurore Hébréard, all three from France.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Director-General of UNESCO will, for the fifth year, launch the global initiative, “Women Make the News”, which aims to promote an equitable representation of women in the media. On 8 March, the world’s media are called upon to hand over editorial responsibility to women journalists.

Photo © the perspective

Director-General’s message
More information on International Women’s Day

Source	Media Advisory N°2006-14
Author(s)	UNESCOPRESS