Vaughan marks International Women’s Day
Vaughan Weekly
March 5, 2014
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua with a representative from the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women, at an International Women’s Day celebration at City Hall.
The City of Vaughan, in partnership with the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women, commemorated International Women’s Day with a celebration at City Hall Thursday.
International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, is a United Nations’ sanctioned day promoting and encouraging the dignity, rights and well-being of women around the world. It has grown into a global day of recognition and acknowledgment of the contributions of women as well as a remembrance of past struggles for social, political and economic equality. The theme of this year’s event was “Equality for Women is Progress for All.”
Special presentations were made by the Honourable Jean Augustine, former member of parliament and cabinet minister who currently serves as fairness commissioner for the province of Ontario, and the Honourable Dr. Asha Seth, who addressed the crowd via video from Ottawa. Guest speakers included internationally-acclaimed visual artist Ernestine Tahedl; Jennifer Corriero, co-founder and executive director of TakingITGlobal; and Shernett Martin, executive director of Vaughan African Canadian Association. There were also performances by Alex Karolyi and Craig Burnatowski of Shadowpath Theatre Productions, Coco La Rain and the Bella’s performers.
The Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women empowers immigrant and newcomer women, seniors and families through services focused on promoting healthy families, community relationships and economic self-sufficiency.
