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) in xx nations 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 Mary Warren Moffett being inspired to help expand the GWF program:

The first was when Christina Clark asked her 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 led the Houston program.
The second occurred when she attended the Kawangware Human Development Consul in 1975. After she gave a talk on women at collegium one morning, Joseph Mathews asked her, “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.

TALKS

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.