I am a blog virgin and this is my first! For many years, as a consultant I’ve been encouraging all my clients to learn about and utilize the many tools and platforms the Internet provides to allow them to increase their impact and many have done so to great success. As I also teach courses at graduate schools, I’ve taught my students the same, bringing in experts from the field as guest lecturers to share the latest cutting edge information. I simply familiarized myself on all this well enough to be able to describe where to look for guidance and how to begin. I always have known that I have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, if I truly am going to help people employ best practices. So, I am taking the initiative and doing what I have guided countless others to do: becoming more alive and interactive on-line.
I leave tomorrow for Monrovia, Liberia to participate in an international Colloquium on Women’s Empowerment, Leadership and Development, International Peace and Security with women heads of state, government ministers, business and NGO leaders. We are being hosted by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and President Tarja Halonen of Finland. We will consider concrete actions to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Our discussions will be inspired by UN Security Council Resolution 1325, calling for women’s participation in conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace building. We also will consider climate change and strengthening women’s participation in sustainable development, protecting the environment and natural resources.
On my maiden blog voyage, I will post insights that I gain from this august gathering and possibly also my photographs that may capture a glimpse of what I know will be remarkable moments. I will ask friends who also are participating in this Colloquium to post their comments and photos on my blog. And, I welcome all of you connecting to us via cyberspace to post your feedback and questions on it as well. I have a sense, since many will be blogging – no doubt, already are – about what they are doing and thinking about as we approach International Women’s Day on May 8, we might create a wonderful web of interconnected blogs updating each other from all points of the globe. Since many are gathered at the United Nations for the annual Commission on the Status of Women and countless commemorations and deliberations have begun in myriad sites globally, including those who already are in Liberia, I believe the dialogue that others are engaged in and I now will contribute to will be rich and deep.
I always knew that sisterhood was global: I’m finally using a tool that will open the doors to real-time connection with my sisters and feminist brothers wherever they are who are doing and mulling over whatever they think is most meaningful at this moment in our history. Brave voyage for all!
