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First Women Leaders Summit on MDGs

logo_only_132First Women Leaders Summit on MDGs
October 13th, 2010 Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm

The Summit will convene 50 influential and inspirational women leaders from religious, spiritual, academic and secular feminist backgrounds to engage in a multigenerational, inter-religious and interdisciplinary dialogue aiming to strengthen women’s leadership worldwide. The number “50” symbolizes a Chinese proverb saying that women, who constitute half of humanity, are needed to uphold half the sky.

 

Sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Religions for Peace-International, the UN Millennium Campaign, Won Buddhism International and the World Culture Open, the conference aims to build an effective network of women leaders engaged to achieve gender equality in all aspects of human life.

 

Gender equality is in fact essential to all of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because their established targets will ultimately affect the condition of women around the world.

Primary discussion topics, chosen for their significance to the achievement of women’s leadership and advancement, will include:

  • using spirituality as a tool to stop violence against women and to insure gender euquality;
  • build a network of feminist leaders committed to implement a positive change within their communities and organizations
  • bridge the efforts of the religious and secular feminist movements.

During the conference four meritorious women will be prized with the First Annual WON Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to humanity, and their lifetime commitment and achievements towards gender equality.

 

The Summit’s focus on gender equality also aims to facilitate partnerships between women leaders in preparation for the Universal Ethics Conference at the United Nations (October, 2011) where the ethical, moral and spiritual dimensions of the MDGs will take the center stage. 

 

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010 

9:00 - 9:30 am

 Registration and Breakfast Reception

9:30 - 10:00 am

 

Musical and Drama Prelude

  • “Opening Eyes” Korean Opera
    Kayagum Sanjo (Korean Traditional Music): Honey Chong
    Kosoo (Drummer): Kap Son Yi

10:00 - 10:20 am

Welcome Address

  • Ven. Chung Ok Lee, Executive Director, UN Affairs and Interreligious Work, Won Buddhism International (WBI)

Session One - Opening Meditation and Silent Prayer

  • Laura Samuels, Editor, Won World Publishing | Lay Teacher, Manhattan Won Buddhism

10:20 - 10:50 am

Personal Testimony

10:50  - 11:45 am

Session Two – Partners’ Message

  • Moderator: Pat DelGiorno, Health Care Consultant
  • Corinne Woods, Director, United Nations Millennium Campaign
  • Azza M. Karam, Sr. Culture Advisor, Technical Division, United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)
  • Urjasi Rudra, United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
  • Maureen Greenwood-Basken, Director of Policy Initiatives, United Nations Foundation (UNF)
  • Bill Vendley, Secretary General, Religions for Peace (RfP)
  • Ven. Chung Ok Lee, Executive Director, UN Affairs and Interreligious Work, Won Buddhism International (WBI)
  • Ven. Chung Ok Lee, Co-chair, Strategic Planning and Development, World Culture Open (WCO)

11:45 - 12:00 pm

Tea Break (1st floor and Garden)

Chi Kung (Garden) Laura Samuels

Tea (2nd floor Tea Room) – For Session Two  Speakers and Moderators 

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Session Three  - The 1st Annual WON Award Honoring Distinguished Women Leaders

  • Moderator: Phyllis Della, Life Coach
  • Masami Saionji, Chair Person, Goi Peace Foundation, World Peace Prayer Society, Byakko Shinko Kai (Religions and Spirituality)
  • Beverly Guy-Sheftall, President, National Women’s Studies Association (Academics and Higher Education)
  • Jude Currivan, Planetary Healer (Science and Business)
  • Mary Robinson, Executive Director, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative (UN and Politics)
  • Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director, United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), (United Nations) 
  • Q/A

1:00 - 2:00 pm

Lunch (1st floor and Garden)

Tea (2nd floor Tea Room) – For Session Three Awardees and Moderators

2:00 - 3:00 pm

Session Four – Religious Reflection on Women

  • Moderator: Irina A. Faskianos, Vice President, National Program and Outreach,
    Council on Foreign Relations
  • Sharon Salzberg, Co-founder, Insight Meditation Society (IMS), (Buddhism)
  • Sr. Rose Bernadette Gallagher, MM, Associate, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (Christianity)
  • Nurah Amat’ullah, Executive Director, Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development (Islam)
  • Rajinderjit K. Singh, President, East West Association of Sikh Women for World Peace (Sikh)
  • Q/A

3: 00 - 3:15 pm

Tea Break (1st floor and Garden)

Chi Kung (Garden) Laura Samuels

Tea (2nd floor Tea Room) – For Session Four Speakers and Moderators

3:15- 4:15 pm

Session Five – Dialogue among Feminists for Global Solidarity

  • Moderator: Azza M. Karam, Sr. Culture Advisor, United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)
  • Berenice M. Fisher, Former Professor at NYU (Academics)
  • Rev. Serene Jones, Union Theological Seminary (Religion)
  • Carla Oleska, Executive Director, Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (Grassroots Movements)
  • Yuka Saionji, Deputy Chair of Byakko Shinko Kai (Young Women Perspective)
  • Q/A

4:15- 4:45 pm

Open Mic: Next Steps for the 2nd Annual Women Leaders Summit (2011)

  • Moderator
    Kathie Uhler, Advocacy Officer, Franciscans International
    • Pledge for Action
    • Renew our commitment to implementation of policies that empower women and foster gender equality
    • Establish goals for the 2nd Annual Women Leaders Summit in 2011
    • Build coalition of Women Leaders for reciprocal inspiration
    • Q/A

4:45- 5:00 pm

Closing Meditation and Silent Prayer

  • Ven. Chung Ok Lee, Convener

5:00- 5:30 pm

Closing Reception
Tea (2nd floor Tea Room) – For Session Five Speakers and Moderators