Global Womens Forums

FIRST WOMEN’S PROGRAMS

In July 1966 the role of women in society was remembered in LiDona Wagner’s (aka Donna McCleskey) talk on “The New Woman” and her article in I.E.  In March 1985 the ICA held a one-day Women of Chicago conference; this is the evaluation of the day.  

BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF GWF

Between 1966 and 1985 was the birth, development, and facilitating of the Global Women’s Forum (GWF) around the world. Priscilla Wilson tells about the initial ‘seed idea’ of creating a women’s course and writes the “The Journey of the New Women” that summarizes the development and role of the New Womens Forum –  Sarah Booher (aka Caufield), Kitty Cole, Nicki Dresslar, Betty Hill, Marian Lies, Georgianna McBurney, Mary Warren Moffett, Betty Pesek, LaVerne Phillips, Kay Slattery, Priscilla Wilson and Anne Wood  – women responsible for the development of a 44-hour New Women’s Seminar that later became a one-day GWF. In 2006 many of these women met at Kitty Cole’s home and created this document. 

Two events occasioned expanding the GWF program:  

• The first was a request by ICA Houston to lead a one day women’s program in Houston.  With the assistance of the New Women’s Forum in developing the talks and exercises, Mary Warren Moffett led the Houston program, which was the first testing of the Global Womens Forum in October 1975.

• The second occurred during the Kawangware Human Development Consult in 1975. After giving a talk on women at collegium one morning, Joseph Mathews asked Mary Warren, “What are you going to do with this? You need to think about it and do it!”  Mary Warren says his question “pushed the GWF down the road” as she took his challenge back to the New Women’s Forum. In this video she talks about the forum’s development .

The New Women’s Forum designed brochures and programs for the GWF so it could be facilitated globally. Laverne Phillips created the GWF montage that became the program’s symbol.  A proposal was written to USAID to fund both the GWF and the Women’s Advancement program. Sandra Rafos talks about her experience of facilitating the Women’s Advancement program in 30 villages of Kenya and how those programs provided healing and courage to the women.

GLOBAL TREKS 

• The GWF Facilitators Manual made it possible for the program to be offered simultaneously across the globe..

• Ellen Rebstock and Mary Warren Moffett share stories of their North East Asia trek to Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Nam Wai outside of  Hong Kong.

• Leah Early tells stories about facilitating GWF in Africa.

• Priscilla Wilson tells about the GWF Trek in Europe, Spring 1977

• Sample GWF document from Montreal, Quebec, February 1979

• July 1977 GWF trek schedule   From October, 1975-July 1977, 1,600 participants participated in 63 Global Women’s Forums in Europe, Sub Asia, SEAPAC, and North America facilitated by 25 trained faculty.

PRESENTATIONS

• Women’s Victories, story about GWF in India by Leah Early 2025

• Mary Warren’s talk on the Global Women’s Forum at the 12th Guardians Consult, April 1977.  

• In July 1977, the Global Women’s Forum: Awakenment  presented at the Global Research Assembly..

• Also in July the Global Women’s Forum given at the Global Priors Council.

• New Women’s Forum Journey (for printing), 2006

• Women’s Advancement Manual – Three Days, Nigeria, 1981

• Peru Women in Development Course Framework,  Evaluation, and Appendices,  March 1981

• Women’s Forum Report 1980-81

• Global Women’s Forum Facilitators Manual (for printing), 1980

• Womens Advancement Module Report, April, 1980

• Womens Advancement Module Manual (for printing), 1980

• Edgewater and Uptown Community Women’s Leadership Forum, May 17, 1980

• GWF Advertising, 1980

• Women in Crisis TM, New Orleans, LA, May 31, 1979

• GWF Trek Report: 5 Forums in Brazil, April 1979

• GWF Design, Story, Promotion, 1977-78

• Global Womens Forum, presentations by Mary Warren Moffett, April 1, 1977 at the 12 Guardian Council and July 27, 1977 at the Global Priors Council

• GWF Press Globally, in Paris and United States, 1977

• Women’s Town Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, May 1, 1976

• A New Vision for the Journey of Women, March 1973

• NINS Women and Youth:  Economic, Political and Cultural talk outlines (print copy)

These women created the Global Women’s Forum program and were among the women who offered it around the world.

Starting from the left:  Ann Wood, Georgianna McBurney, L____,  and Mary Warren Moffett at the front right.