A conference towards fulfilling Millenium Development Goal Number Three: ’Promoting gender equality and empowerment of women’ was held by Women’s Federation for World Peace, (WFWP) Europe, in Dresden, Germany, from May 21^st to May 23^rd over the Whitsunday long weekend.

4^th Annual European Women’s Leadership Conference on Dignity of Women

The women came by car, by bus, by plane, by train, to discuss, listen, share, propose, resolve and finally to appeal. Representing WFWP Chapters from Europe and beyond, the working groups concluded with an appeal for European women to reach out in support of women in Africa and the Middle East.

The Welcome to Dresden on Friday evening by Dr Elke Preusser-Franke told the group that the site of the conference was the place where the Peaceful Revolution started in 1989 and led to the opening of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany.

Martina Coombs; WFWPI Vice President, introduced Dignity and Peace Building to open the conference on Friday evening. Caecilia van Peski, United Nations Womens' Representative on behalf of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Uta Kruse, City of Dresden: greeted the participants including a half dozen experts in Gender balance; the family; Trafficking of persons and the Media.

The women concluded their deliberations with the feeling of launching and supporting the new revolution of heart and sisterhood. Professor Lan Young Moon Pak, WFWP International President, said she felt hope for her own homeland of North Korea when she witnessed the developments in Dresden, formerly in Communist East Germany. The historical inner city has been rebuilt, only recently since the reunification of Germany, after being bombed at the end of the Second World War.

Culminating the three day conference, the women and a handful of men, decided to take action by stressing to all women around the world, the importance of their role in peace building, reconciliation and the prevention and resolution of injustice and conflict.

The Dignity of Women campaign was initiated and launched by Ingrid Lindemann and Christine Sato and has enjoyed annual European level meetings ever since.

Ingrid Lindemann reported on her contribution to the CSW at the United Nations in New York. Carolyn Handschin; WFWPI UN Deputy Director, came from a similar meeting in Cyprus and presented an appeal.

Dresden Appeal to Women of the World

The talents, experience and leadership of women are vital attributes needed more than ever before to deal with various and pressing problems in our societies, especially in times of war and natural disasters when women bear additional burdens.

This specialized local knowledge provides valuable input to governments and the UN in order to assess the real needs for sustainable development in line with upholding human rights standards.

Solidarity and collaboration are best achieved by bringing together national and international NGO’s, civil society organizations and local authorities for the advocacy, capacity building, training and education towards a culture of peace.

Therefore, we call on women all over the world:

APPEAL

¡         To engage in ongoing education, to learn more about their rights, responsibilities and the resources available to them so that they can effectively participate and influence change, making information more accessible to women in less fortunate circumstances.

¡         To seek and take advantage of assistance, expertise and resources provided by the United Nations as well as various other international and national institutions.

¡         To take advantage of the very powerful and crucial position held by women as mothers and educators promoting beauty within their families and communities to raise children as peacemakers.

¡         To build effective networks of mutual help and solidarity by establishing and maintaining local and regional steering committees whereby the efforts of women can be recognized, promoted and put to the benefit of their communities, governments and the United Nations.

¡         To encourage women’s active participation in decision making processes at all levels and promote a feminine perspective that reinforces their priorities

¡         To boldly monitor the role of the media in portraying a dignified image of woman.

¡         To assert women’s dignity and self esteem as part of our fundamental human rights as we work together to build peaceful families, communities and contribute to a world of peace.

¡         To empower women in Africa with information, access to education, to stop FGM/Harmful traditional practices.

¡         To contribute, cooperate and work in partnership towards a world of peace.

“Only as women and men together in equality and partnership can we overcome the difficulties, silence and desperation and secure the understanding, political will, creative thinking and concrete activities which are necessary for global transition from a culture of violence to a Culture of Peace.”