Global Womens Forums
Awakening women to their potential in villages and cities globally
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:
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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.
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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
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The GWF Facilitators Manual made it possible for the program to be offered simultaneously across the globe..
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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.
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Leah Early tells stories about facilitating GWF in Africa.
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Priscilla Wilson tells about the GWF Trek in Europe, Spring 1977
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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.
TALKS
