FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Liberian Peace Activist to Speak at International Women’s Day Celebration in Minneapolis

 

Minneapolis (January 25, 2010) – The Advocates for Human Rights and the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota will present the 15th Annual International Women's Day Celebration on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Coffman Union. 

 

The event, entitled “Inspire. Act. Change!” is an occasion to highlight advancements in women’s rights and equality, to celebrate the diversity of Minnesota women, to encourage activism, and to educate participants about human rights issues that affect girls and women locally, nationally and internationally.

 

The day includes a keynote presentation, workshops on women's rights issues, performances by DrumHeart and the Twin Cities Women’s Choir, art from the Women and Water Rights exhibit, film, and resources for further activism from over 65 co-sponsoring organizations. During the workshops, participants can learn more about women and climate change; indigenous women’s rights; the intersection of domestic violence and homelessness; the sexualization of girls in mainstream media; women’s rights in the Middle East; and immigration relief for women and children, among other topics.

The keynote presentation will be delivered by Leymah Gbowee (pronounced LAY-mah BEAU-wee) at approximately 9:15 a.m. Gbowee, now Founder and Executive Director of Women Peace and Security Network - Africa, was a trauma counselor in Liberia working with ex-child soldiers when she realized that peace would only come if citizens, especially women, brought an end to the brutality and insanity of civil war. Gbowee brought together women of the Christian churches and then formed a coalition with women in Muslim organizations in Monrovia to bring a united front to ask for peace. Using creative and powerful tactics, Gbowee’s group forced a meeting with Charles Taylor and extracted a promise from him to attend peace talks in Ghana. She then led a delegation of Liberian women to continue to apply pressure on the warring factions during the peace process. The work of the group is the focus of the documentary film Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which has won multiple awards and will be screened at the event.

 

Gbowee has also received multiple awards, including the Blue Ribbon for Peace by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the Gruber Women's Rights Prize. The Celebrate Africa 2009 Committee also honored Gbowee and her organization during their annual celebration in Philadelphia at the African–American Museum.

 

For more information, please see The Advocates for Human Rights’ website, www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org, or contact:

  

Cheryl Thomas, Women’s Program Director       Robin Phillips, Executive Director                      

612-341-3302, ext. 102                                             612-341-3302, ext. 109

cthomas@advrights.org                                           rphillips@advrights.org

 

The Advocates for Human Rights is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of internationally recognized human rights. With the help of hundreds of volunteers each year, The Advocates investigates and exposes human rights violations; provides representation to immigrants and refugees who have suffered human rights abuses; trains and assists groups that protect human rights; and works through education and advocacy to engage the public, policymakers, and children about human rights issues. The Advocates for Human Rights holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations.