 A Celebration of Motherhood Around the Globe—By Kristin Butler Published: April, 2007  Mariam Alao; Global Council Member, Lynne Twist; "Imagining Ourselves" Project Manager, Sadaf Siddique; and Global Council Member, Hafsat Abiola More than half a million women — or roughly one woman every minute — die of pregnancy complications or childbirth somewhere in the world every year. "That's the equivalent of the populations of Denmark, Ireland, and Finland combined," said Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund and founding member of Global Women's Action Network for Children. Wright Edelman was the keynote speaker at a recent gala — "A Global Celebration of Mothers" — hosted by the International Museum of Women at the Westin Saint Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Held on March 8 in honor of International Women's Day, the event, which raised $250,000 for the museum, was a kick-off for the museum's new online exhibit, "The Motherhood Project," and inspired attendees to mobilize around global issues like maternal health. More than 500 guests in elegant and cultural attire attended the gala, which included a Champagne reception, music by the group Los Cenzontles, dinner, and a film highlighting the museum's successes and its mission, which is to value the lives of women around the world. "When we change the lives of women, then men, women and an entire community benefit," said Elizabeth Colton, chair of the museum's Board of Directors, in her opening remarks. "When women come to the table, we all benefit, so we invite you to get inspired, get involved and take action." Sydnie Kohara, co-anchor for CBS 5 Eyewitness News, served as mistress of ceremonies. First Lady of California Maria Shriver donated a copy of her best-selling book, And One More thing Before You Go, to guests. And the list of honorary co-chairs included Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Barbara Boxer, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Keynote speaker Marian Wright Edelman — who was the first black woman to be admitted to the Mississippi Bar and who has won numerous awards for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom — lent an especially dignified air to the event. She urged the "powerful women at the grass-tops" attending the gala to help the "powerless women at the grassroots" with a hard-hitting speech that focused on maternal deaths — a problem that she said affects more women worldwide than AIDS. | ||
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