Sofia Site Circle
Dr. Linda Stillman and Bulgarian Partner
The Sofia Site Circle will create an engaging environment for the SWWC and host site Sofia, Bulgaria to relate and celebrate the Implementation Conference, collaboratively.
The Circle will connect the spirituality, reality and practicality of the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond - in developing and designing the location space to conduct the SWWC and
its Arts and Culture Festival.
The Sophia Site Circle will liaise among the SWWC, Sofia, Bulgaria and the UN , focusing on the globally overarching circles encompassing the UN, Communications, Culture, finance, among others of global collaborative importance. Representative Dr. Linda Stillman will partner with a Bulgarian representative (by Fall 2007) to coordinate multiple efforts.
The Sofia Site Circle will be responsible for the following areas, and others as they emerge, and as they pertain to the Sofia Site:
Creating and sustaining good will among all contributors on the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond.
Interacting and liaising with the Bulgarian government, Sofia municipality, and Bulgaria’s civil society at home and abroad.
Briefing and including SWWC participants in all important issues concerning Sofia: Site.
Finding and securing facilities for the SWWC May 25-29, 2010.
Determining and providing accommodation resources.
Determining and providing travel opportunities, including visas.
Arts and Culture Circle
Penny McManigal and Dr. Linda Stillman
The beauty and brilliance of the arts and culture will create an atmosphere of celebration and motivation at the SWWC. The Arts and Culture Circle embraces the opportunity to cultivate faith, hope and love (the three daughters of Sophia) for humanity, through connecting our hearts, thoughts and souls.
The co-creators of the Arts and Culture Circle, Penny McManigal and Linda Stillman are the representatives to the SWWC Planning Council. As artistic and cultural ambassadors, Penny and Linda will encourage and coordinate visual, performing and narrative artists worldwide to attend SWWC and to express their creativity focused on the SWWC five objectives. The circle will also organize the arts and culture festival for Sophia in Sofia on the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond.
United Nations Council Circle
Dr. Linda Stillman, Dr. Anele Heiges and Eva Richter
The SWWC United Nations Council Circle embraces the egalitarian participation of civil society in a new paradigm of partnership with the UN on the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond. We welcome the inclusion of women and men in all realms of the women's world: the United Nations, governments, NGOs, civil society, the private sector, and the arts and culture. In its efforts to manifest and sustain a strong link with the United Nations, the UN Council will incorporate the founding principles of human rights, fundamental freedoms and social development. It will function within the normative framework of the United Nations Charter and all subsequent relevant UN documents.
The UN Council will be represented by Linda Stillman, Eva Richter, Anele Heiges and (awaiting official confirmation Eva Richter). It will integrate its work into the SWWC Planning Council in the following ways:
1. Recruit and organize UN Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and/or the Department of Information (DPI) for participation in the SWWC.
2. Act as liaison with the relevant UN entities, including, among others: DAW,
UNIFEM, CSW, INSTRAW, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, ILO, and IOM.
3. Create specific circles that focus on the five objectives of the SWWC in partnership with the UN.
4. Gather and disseminate all existing UN documents on implementation and best practices connected to the SWWC objectives, especially for Actualizing the Beijing Platform for Action and Achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
5. Serve as resource people for all SWWC participants regarding UN related topics.
The UN Council Circle welcomes this extraordinary opportunity to advance the women of the world and thereby elevate all humanity in the 21 st Century.
Communication and Media
Kimberly King, Dr. Linda Stillman and Linda Sechrist
Intention:
Our Intention is to inform, inspire and engage individuals and organizations in celebration and support of the Women of the World; To Elevate and Amplify their unique needs, challenges, and contributions; and to Cultivate a "Culture of Mutual Value" that advances the global status of Women and Girls, and thereby all Humanity, in the 21st century.
Purpose:
To Establish and develop national and international identity and awareness of the Women's World Conference in Sofia Bulgaria in May 2010;
To Develop and implement a comprehensive Communications and Media Strategy, with an inclusive National and Global Communications Plan to include press releases, public announcements, special interest magazine and newspaper articles, radio and television interviews, Internet Campaigns, film and documentary, Media Partnerships and other outreach mediums;
To Support and integrate communications-related activities with all Internal and External Stakeholders including The SWWC Planning Circles and Planning Council and our International Conference Partners and Media Counterparts;
To Design, develop and support a robust, interactive website and database on behalf of the Sofia:Sophia Women's World Conference 2010, it's Planning Circles, Planning Council and extended Global Community.
To document, commemorate and share our Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond.
Affirming the Men
Kathie Murtie and Linda Sechrist
Gender equality is an enabling and empowering vision/reality/practicality to address the human rights, fundamental freedoms and social development in the 21st Century. The Affirming the Men Circle, represented by Kathie Murtie and Linda Sechrist on the SWWC Planning Council, embraces a globally expanding opportunity to welcome men to connect and contribute, collaboratively, on the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond.
Together, we will create an egalitarian paradigm to elevate all of humanity in the 2`1st C.
The Affirming the Men Circle will focus on the following pertinent areas:
Establish a balanced and harmonious environment for men to participate freely and fully with the women organizing and conducting the SWWC.
Align male efforts and energies to connect men with women from all sectors of society in conjunction with the SWWC vision/goal/purpose and objectives.
Foster positive and productive partnerships among men and women from all sectors of society to implement specifically the fourth objective of the SWWC: Affirming the Men.
Indigenous Peoples
Suzanne Siimie-Stier
The Indigenous Peoples Statement is still work in progress. Suzanne Siimie-Stier spoke about contacts she made at the U.S. Social Forum and the Dallas Peace Conference.
Translation Circle
Judy Grosch- Germany
Translators are living bridges of cultures, among speakers and listeners. During the SWWC on the Journey to Bulgaria and Beyond, as well as during the preparatory phase, the translators will help the attendees by honouring multiple languages and cultural diversity on our planet. Thanks to this pivotal contribution, participants at the SWWC will be able to express themselves in several native languages, and listeners will receive important and unique messages in their preferred language.
The Translation/Language Circle sees itself as a sister of the Arts and Culture Circle. In a complementary way, these two circles can co-create an inclusive celebration in which all participants are invited to join, knowing that in communicating with each other verbally, nonverbally and artistically, they are actually enabling the European Congress and the SWWC.
Objectives:
-to determine the international languages to be used at the SWWC ( for example: the six UN languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic)
-to co-ordinate the translators
-to determine their responsibilities
-to communicate with Bulgaria to ensure host translators for Bulgarian participants
Young People’s Circle
Natalia Kostus
To empower and inspire young people to become the change they wish to create in the world by treating them as equal participants and valued contributors.
The young people’s circle will carry the mission of SWWC beyond 2010 into the future and will ensure that the UN "living documents" will be known and implemented around the world.
Global Network of Young People
Create a global network of young people to open their horizons to global thinking and global leadership. Foster cultural exchange and international experiences.
Target Population
Young people, ages 18-28 (open participation) from diverse national, ethnic, cultural, and educational backgrounds.
Interactive Website
Create an online forum where young people can exchange ideas and information regarding women's issues and the SWWC conference objectives.
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