Inviting AWIU Members To AWIU Board Meeting on July 13 at 9AM, Hotel Santa Fe

Attend The AWIU Board Meeting As Well As Enjoy The 15th Annual

International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe

The World’s Largest Folk Art Festival Celebrates 15 Years Featuring more than 150 Master Artists from More than 50 Countries and Nobel Peace Prize-Winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus as Honorary Chair

July 13, 14 and 15, 2018
Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Hotel Santa Fe: Make your Hotel Reservations Today

Our Negotiated Rate Will Expire On June 11, 2018

Purchase MEMBER Board Meeting including LUNCH: July 13 at 9AM

Purchase GUEST Luncheon ($30, July 13) after the board meeting

For A Three-Day Experience at the Festival Purchase your Vip Tickets Now

VIP TICKETS: $225.00: Cut-off date is June 22

This package is not available online. Tickets to the Gala include admission to two museums on Museum Hill that you can enjoy on Saturday: The Indian Museum and the International Museum of Folk Art. Those museums have Saturday lectures (included in the VIP tickets). The VIP ticket includes re-admission to the market Saturday and Sunday and possible additional events. Attendance is not mandatory but is highly enjoyable.

You may also purchase individual day tickets if you are not purchasing the VIP ticket

“Together, we need to speak up,” Roya Sadat, a filmmaker, founder of the Afghanistan International Women’s Film Festival and 2018 Secretary of State’s International Woman of Courage Awardee, told the capacity crowd at the 11th International Women of Courage Celebration at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles. The Celebration was hosted by the American Women for International Understanding in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and the International Visitors Council Los Angeles. Ms. Sadat is a creative thinker who refuses to be silenced in the face of threats from conservative elements within Afghan society. Using cinema and television as platforms for advocacy, she is promoting positive change by telling the untold stories of Afghan women and girls. “Together, we need to tell our stories.”

Fellow International Woman of Courage Awardee Dr. Julissa Villanueva, echoed those sentiments when she spoke about her work in Honduras. Dr. Villanueva serves as the Director of the Honduran Attorney General’s Forensic Medicine Department, overseeing 650 forensic experts. Dr. Villanueva has fundamentally changed the nature of criminal accountability in Honduras, especially regarding violent crimes perpetrated against women and children. She thanked her team in Honduras for their courage in fighting for those who no longer have a voice. Then she turned to her fellow honorees from around the globe and said, “We are all sisters now.”

Since 2007, the Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award honors women who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women’s equality and social progress around the globe. Awardees traveled to the U.S. for an award ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC on March 23, 2018 and had an opportunity for cultural exchange through the International Visitors Leadership Program. The honorees completed their stay in the United States at AWIU’s International Women of Courage Celebration at the end of March. The Celebration provides an evening for the IWOCs to connect with AWIU members from around the country and Los Angeles- based patrons who support women’s global issues. In addition, AWIU provides each honoree with a grant to continue her vital work in her home country.

Pamela Pryor, Senior Advisor, The Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, US Department of State, introduced the 2018 International Women of Courage. Also in attendance, Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State Educational and Cultural Affairs Designate, US Department of State.

This year’s honorees attending the Los Angeles celebration were Godelieve Mukasarasi (Rwanda), L’Malouma Said (Mauritania), Dr. Julissa Villanueva (Honduras), Dr Feride Rushiti (Kosovo), Aiman Umarova (Kazakhstan), Roya Sadat (Afghanistan). Additional honorees who could not attend the Los Angeles event were Sirikan Charoensiri (Thailand); Sister Maria Elena Berini (Italy); Aliyah Khalaf Saleh (Iraq); and Aura Elena Farfan (Guatemala)

Others in attendance from the State Department included; Rahima Kandahari, Senior Advisor and Director of Operations, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, US Department of State; Emily Brown, Policy Advisor, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, US Department of State; Nazgul Toktosunova, Program Officer, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State; Catharine ONeill, Staff Member, The Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, US Department of State; Elaine Clayton, Public Affairs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State; Westley Eldredge, Public Afairs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State; and Goli Ameri, Former Assistant Secretary of State Educational and Cultural Affairs

Onma Lwin, the IWOC Celebration Chair said, “We were honored to have hosted the 2018 International Women of Courage Awardees and to introduce them to the Los Angeles community. The Awardees were applauded for their many achievements and we were equally proud to show our honored guests the warmth and welcoming nature of our Los Angeles sponsors and patrons. All left the evening feeling humbled yet inspired and energized.” The evening was emceed by AWIU member and IWOC committee member Cynthy Moffatt. Journalist Lisa Ling was the Honorary Chair of the event.

AWIU also presented the 2018 Internationalism Award to Ana C. Rold, the founder and publisher of Diplomatic Courier, a global affairs media network. Ms. Rold was honored for her work as an international conflict mediator, an advocate for women’s global issues and a mentor to women leaders at home and abroad. She spoke of the importance of “pie-sharing” in diplomacy and international relations by cooperation and building partnerships and coalitions. Ms. Rold cited the honorees as prime examples of change makers who understood the concept of cooperation on both a micro and macro scale, “We make progress by talking, listening, and coming together. Honoring those who do great things; honoring people who set a towering example through reconciliation, respect, and dignity. Such as the wonderful Women of Courage being honored here tonight. They’re not defined by struggle, heroic though that’s been. They’re defined by success. Not where they’ve come from; but where they’ve reached. And where they’re going next.”

The Bernice Behrens Founders Award was presented by AWIU president Maria Schory to Marsha Niazmand, a longtime AWIU member who has reshaped the AWIU Grant Program over the last few years. Ms. Schory lauded the honoree, “Under her leadership, our Grant Program changed its focus from supporting US- based individuals to be a vibrant, internationally-focused source of microgrants for women across the globe.” Ms. Niazmand accepted the award by saying, “When I retired as a social worker, a colleague told me that her life had become smaller after retirement. Mine became bigger thanks to AWIU because of my contact with so many women throughout the world.”

The Presenting Sponsor of the International Women of Courage Celebration was Deloitte. A leader on the global stage, Deloitte is committed to what the International Women of Courage represent: exceptional achievement, women in leadership, selfless philanthropy, and a culture of diversity and inclusion. Terri Cooper, Chief Inclusion Officer, Deloitte who attended the event commented, “We are thrilled to sponsor the International Women of Courage Celebration for our eighth consecutive year. At Deloitte, we work to foster a culture of courage and inclusion, and these extraordinary women and their powerful stories serve as an inspiration to us all.” Additional sponsors include: Nestlé; The Walt Disney Company; Wells Fargo; Ariel Investments; CBRE; Madison Partners; UCLA Anderson School of Management; and US News & World Report.

On March 29, 2018, American Women for International Understanding (AWIU) will host the 11th International Women of Courage Celebration in Los Angeles in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and the International Visitors Council Los Angeles.

The annual Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award was established in 2007 by the U.S. Department of State, under the leadership of Secretary Condoleezza Rice, to honor women who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women’s equality and social progress around the globe. Honorees travel to the U.S. for an award ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC on March 21, 2018 and have an opportunity for cultural exchange through the International Visitors Leadership Program. The honorees will end their stay in the United States in Los Angeles for the International Women of Courage Celebration. AWIU provides each honoree with a grant to continue her vital work in her home country.

The International Women of Courage Celebration will be held In downtown Los Angeles on March 29, 2018 at 6 pm. Onma Lwin, event Chair and AWIU member, looks forward to the 11th IWOC Celebration, the third consecutive event held in Los Angeles, “AWIU is thrilled to host these inspiring and courageous global female leaders in Southern California. We’ve had tremendous support from the Los Angeles community from corporations to academia, all supporting women’s global issues and citizen diplomacy. It will be an inspiring and uplifting event for all.

The Presenting Sponsor of the International Women of Courage Celebration in its 8th year in a leadership role is Deloitte. A leader on the global stage, Deloitte is committed to what the International Women of Courage represent: exceptional achievement, women in leadership, selfless philanthropy, and a culture of diversity and inclusion.

5 of this year’s 10 honorees from Honduras, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Khazikstan and Thailand

Terri Cooper, Chief Inclusion Officer, Deloitte commented, “We are thrilled to sponsor the International Women of Courage Celebration for our eighth consecutive year. At Deloitte, we work to foster a culture of courage and inclusion, and these extraordinary women and their powerful stories serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Additional sponsors include: Nestle; The Walt Disney Company; Wells Fargo; Ariel Investments; CBRE; UCLA Anderson School of Management; and US News & World Report.

The American Women for International Understanding is honored to announce that the 2018 Internationalism Award recipient is Ana C. Rold, the founder and publisher of Diplomatic Courier, a global affairs media network. Ms. Rold is also an advocate for women’s global issues and a mentor to women leaders at home and abroad.The AWIU Internationalism Award is presented to individuals who have addressed concerns and issues facing women worldwide. The commitment and work of the individuals have set them apart by every standard. Recipients have exhibited international support for women’s issues and contributed to worldwide understanding, raised awareness of global concerns, and fostered and encouraged cross-cultural dialogue. AWIU will present the Internationalism Award at the International Women of Courage Celebration in Los Angeles on March 29, 2018.
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AWIU is pleased to announce that the Bernice Behrens Founder’s Award will be presented to Marsha Niazmand at the 2018 International Women in Courage Celebration in Los Angeles. Created in 2003, this award is given to an AWIU member, who through extraordinary efforts, has furthered the mission of the organization. Marsha Niazmand is being honored for her dedicated work on reshaping AWIU Grant program to be a vibrant, internationally-focused source of microgrants for women across the globe.
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Join us for a time of Conversation, Networking, Q&A and Youth international experiences stories by ArieSweetCo-Founder of Aliah Sweet Fragile Hearts Foundation and Kris GrimesSystems Specialists, Orbasis Solutions, Inc. This is a special event for youth, young adults (17- 39 years old), parents, youth advocates, and counselors.

Keynote Guest, Heather Joy Johnson, Esq. U.S. Department of State, Diplomat in Residence will share information about the Internships and Careers offered by the U.S. Department of State and the:

  • Nuts and bolts of International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Inside tips on how to prepare for the Foreign Service Officer’s examination
  • Application process for Summer and Year-round internship programs

FREE EVENT – registration required
Light Refreshments will be served.

DATE AND TIME
Sat, February 24, 2018
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM PST

Mount Saint Mary’s University-Doheny Campus
10 Chester Place – Building 10
Los Angeles, CA 90007

For info contact 323-292-7006
RSVP to global.internationalcareers@gmail.com

American Women for International Understanding is pleased to announce that our Honorary Chair for the International Women of Courage Celebration 2018 is Lisa Ling, an award-winning journalist, author and advocate for women. Ms. Ling will join a list of other distinguished women on the Honorary Committee offering their support to AWIU’s Celebration in the spring of 2018. The exact date of the International Women of Courage Celebration will be determined by the US Department of State in early February 2018, but our committee is honored to work with Ms. Ling as we plan our event.

Lisa Ling recently wrapped her fourth season the CNN Original Series, “This is Life with Lisa Ling.” In each episode, she immerses herself in communities that are unusual, extraordinary and sometimes dangerous, giving viewers an inside look at some of America’s most unconventional segments of society and some of its most important issues. In 2017, the series won a Gracie Award for Excellence in Media.

Ling is also the host of the new CNN digital series, “This is Sex with Lisa Ling,” where she explores the taboos around sex in America and the ways in which sexuality has been stigmatized, policed and politicized.

Before coming to CNN, Ling was a field correspondent for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and contributor to ABC News’ “Nightline” and National Geographic’s “Explorer.” She has reported from dozens of countries, covering stories about gang rape in the Congo, bride burning in India and the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, among other issues that are too often ignored.

Ling got her start in journalism as a correspondent for Channel One News where she covered the civil war in Afghanistan at 21 years of age. She later went on to become a co-host of ABC Daytime’s hit show “The View,” which won its first daytime Emmy during her time at the show. Ling has also served as a special correspondent for CNN’s “Planet in Peril” series and is a contributing editor for USA Today’s USA Weekend magazine. In 2011, her acclaimed documentary journalism series, “Our America with Lisa Ling,” began airing on OWN.

Ling is the co-author of “Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride: Rituals of Womanhood” and “Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home,” which she penned with her sister, Laura. In 2014, President Obama named Ling to the Commission on White House Fellows.

Ling resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two daughters and father. The International Women of Courage Celebration Committee thanks Ms. Ling for her support of this AWIU event and her advocacy on behalf of women leaders around the world.

2017 Grant Program Summary

AWIU awards grants focused on training and empowering women and girls throughout the globe. Each year individual grants are given to the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage. AWIU grants enable these remarkable women to continue their work in their respective countries. AWIU also awards grants to organizations in remote areas of the world. What makes AWIU’s grants unique is that the majority of our grants are given directly to grassroots organizations in the form of micro-grants, filling an important niche by providing much needed funds to organizations considered too small by large foundations. AWIU also partners with other organizations with established projects for a greater impact.

Many thanks to our sponsors and supporters of the International Women of Courage Celebration that make these grants possible.

2017 Us Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage

  • Malebogo Malefhe, Bostswana
  • Maj. Aichatou I. Ousmane, Niger
  • Zhanna Nemtsova, Russia
  • Sister Carolin Tahhan Fachakh, Syria
  • Natalia Ponce de Leon, Colombia
  • Vernoica Simogun, Papua New Guinea
  • Saadet Ozkan, Turkey
  • Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Vietnam
  • Rebecca Kabugho, Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Cindy A. Contreras Bautista, Peru
  • Fadia Najib Thabet, Yemen
  • Jannat Al Ghezi, Iraq
  • Fatimata M’baye, Mauritania
  • Sandya Eknelygoda, Sri Lanka
  • Dr. Nihal Naj Ali Al-Awiaqi, Yemen

2017 AWIU Representative List of Grant Recipients

AFGHANISTAN:

KHADIJA KUBRA WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION FOR CULTURE – Kandahar

English /Computer Classes to provide education and career advancement

INDIA:

HOPE, Human Organisation for People’s Enlightenment
Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Program

FRIENDLY WATERS
Training on the use of bio-sand filters to sanitize water

RPDS, Rural People Development Society
Trade skills training program for vulnerable young girls and women

KENYA:

FRUITS OF HOPE
Constructing sinking wells to improve hygiene

PDI, Participatory Development Initiative
Providing “power porridge” to malnourished women and child victims of HIV and TB

LIBERIA:

WSD, Women Solidarity and Development
Empowerment of Ebola women and caretakers of Ebola orphans to end poverty through skill training

MEXICO:

MELEL XOJOBAL – CHIAPAS (Year 2)
Program to help girls obtain birth certificates, without which they have no legal rights to healthcare and education

NICARAGUA:

THE LILY PROJECT
Providing screening for cervical cancer

PAKISTAN:

AWARE
Programs focused on stopping violence against women

REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO:

CITIES OF PEACE
Art project aimed at reducing religious extremism through engaging marginalized youth in a creative, interactive art initiative

TANZANIA:

NYAMETE WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT (Year 2)
Poultry keeping training and loan facility for women

UGANDA:

BAWONIFA, Banda Women Initiative
Tree planting project to prevent soil erosion and maintain biodiversity whilst improving living conditions and farming initiatives

UAOWF, United African Orphans and Widows
Training women to make and distribute reusable sanitary pads

The exciting and courageous stories about AWIU’s twenty-first century delegations to such destinations as China, Russia, Libya, Cuba, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia (shortly after 9/11) were compiled by Chicago members Paula Cofresi-Silverstein, Janice Colom, and Sue Devick (editor) in honor of our 50th Anniversary. The initial printing sold out at the celebration, but future editions are planned; please send any inquiries to: info@awiu.org, adding “book” to the subject line.

Photo above includes:
Janice Colom, Paul Cofresi-Silverstein, Sue Devick, and Kathleen Huston, 50th Anniversary Committee Chairman.

At the 10th Annual International Women of Courage Celebration, Ms. Fadia Najib Thabet of Yemen, an activist working to reintegrate former child soldiers of Al Qaeda and Houthi militias into society, brought the crowd to their collective feet when she declared, “The women sitting in front of you have all fought. We have chosen to tell our stories with compassion, resilience and bravery. To all the women here, you are part of our journey and fight. Each of us has a mission to accomplish. We still have a lot to do. But this time I am not going to walk alone. We will walk side by side. Holding each other’s hands. We are feminists, we are powerful, we are intelligent and we are a movement.”

Her stirring speech was one of the highlights of this year’s International Women of Courage Celebration hosted by the American Women for International Understanding (AWIU) held April 6, 2017 at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles to a sold-out crowd of 280. This year marked the second time the AWIU event was held in Southern California in collaboration with the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and the International Visitors Council Los Angeles. The standing ovation underscored the warm, supportive and electric atmosphere of the evening as AWIU honored 13 International Women of Courage (IWOCs), 10 in attendance, for their work against gender-based violence, government corruption and the effects of long-term war on women and children.

Fellow IWOC honoree, Ms. Rebecca Kabugho from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, recognized for her key role in a series of peaceful protests demanding that the Congolese government hold credible elections, reiterated Ms. Thabet’s sentiments. She spoke about the strong bond the 2017 IWOCs shared and how that sisterhood was an invaluable tool for moving forward in their work. Speaking about her hopes for the future of her country, Ms. Kabugho said, “I hope that all the women who are here will fight to change their countries. We can change the Congo. We can change the world. Without us, it will not be done. Hand in hand, we will make the world a better place.”

See the complete list of 2017 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage.

The International Women of Courage Award was established by the U.S. Department of State in 2007 to honor women who demonstrate exceptional courage in making a substantial difference in the lives of others around the globe. Honorees traveled to the United States for an award ceremony at the U.S.Department of State in Washington, D.C. in late March and then traveled individually to different states on an International Visitors Leadership Program. At the end of their visit to the United States, the IWOCs then reconvened in Los Angeles for a debriefing, a panel presentation and the AWIU IWOC Celebration.

On hand from the U.S. Department of State to introduce the International Women of Courage was Ms. Betty Bernstein-Zazba, Senior Advisor and Director of Operations in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. “Each woman’s story is an inspiring reminder of how individuals can make a difference. Taken together, they provide a powerful message of courage and leadership. Women can make a difference in promoting greater peace, economic growth, and progress.” Joining Ms. Bernstein-Zabza was her colleague from the U.S. Department of State, Ms. Stacy White, the Director of the Office of International Visitors in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Other highlights of the night included the presentation of AWIU’s Internationalism Award to Ms. Anita DeFrantz, the first American woman and the first African American to be named to the International Olympic Committee. Ms. DeFrantz was honored for her lifetime of work to increase opportunities for women around the globe through sports and for her advocacy against slavery. Ms. DeFrantz could not be at the event because she was travelling in support of the LA2024 Olympic Bid, but in a video she expressed her thanks to AWIU and her admiration for all the International Women of Courage, adding, “You lift me up.”

The Bernice Behrens Founders Award was given to Diane McGlinchey by AWIU president Carol Robertson Lopez. Diane McGlinchey has been a dedicated member of AWIU for over a decade, serving in almost every role including President. Her commitment to the work of AWIU flows from a lifetime spent in service to fellow women and to her country. She thanked fellow AWIU members for their service and their friendship, adding, “Let us move forward knowing that the collective power of women—well organized, passionate and respectful—is unstoppable.”

Honorary Chairwoman Mellody Hobson of Ariel Investments, also sent a video, addressing the IWOCs directly saying, “Your stories of grit, determination, perseverance and courage are reminders to all women that with a measure of bravery, you can change the world. And they are stories that need to be told.”

As part of AWIU’s mission to build bridges of international understand and support women’s causes, the organization provided each honoree with a grant. In honor of AWIU’s 50th anniversary year, the grants for 2017 International Women of Courage were our largest ever, as a sign of the organization’s half-century commitment to of improving the lives of women all over the globe. Event Chair Maggie Sabbag thanked all the guests for their vital support, “We are deeply grateful to our sponsors and patrons. Because of their generosity, AWIU awards each woman a monetary grant to continue her good work and make a positive difference in our world. Many thanks for supporting the Celebration and all the good that flows from it.”

The event was made possible through the support of sponsors committed to global issues, including a number of AWIU members. A special thanks to Madvi Raya for committing at the Freedom & Equality Level and members Nancy Annick, Martha A. Atherton, Susan Chandler, Carole Lewis, Onma Lwin, Cynthy Moffatt, Maggie Sabbag and Jane Mursener Wetzel for contributing at the Empowerment through Education level.

Deloitte was the presenting sponsor for the seventh consecutive year and provided volunteers to staff the event. Other sponsors included Ariel Investments; LA2024; Nestle; Wells Fargo; The Walt Disney Company; CBRE; UCLA Anderson School of Management; and US News & World Report.

AWIU member and Mistress of Ceremonies Cynthy Moffatt said afterwards, “From start to finish, the evening was charged with enthusiasm, passion and admiration for the International Women of Courage. The guests loved being able to interact with the honorees one-on-one and hear their stories and personal messages firsthand. The experience was eye-opening for so many of us and incredibly moving and inspiring. I think the sustained standing ovation all received at the conclusion of the program really touched the honorees.”