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Feb. 17, 2011 MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Clark, 858-534-7618, ceclark@ucsd.edu International Women’s Day Celebration at UC San Diego Helps Impoverished Women Build a Better Future

The University of California, San Diego is inviting the community to celebrate 100 years

of women’s economic, political and social achievements for International Women’s Day from 2

to 4 p.m., March 6 at the Great Hall. The university is partnering with local community service

organizations for a celebration, free and open to the public, that will benefit impoverished

women from around the world who live in San Diego.

International Women’s Day was first celebrated 100 years ago and today countries such

as China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria recognize International Women's Day as a national

holiday.

Guest speakers at the March 6th event include UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne

Fox and Winifred Cox, co-founder and co-president of Women Empowerment International, one

of the sponsoring organizations. The event will raise funds for microfinance loans ––small loans

that extend credit to females, improving their economic and social lives.

“San Diego is home to a diversity of refugees from many nations,” said Leigh Fenly, Co-

president of Women Empowerment International. “Before being legally resettled here, many

witnessed civil war, faced persecution and were forced to leave family members behind. They

are eager to rebuild their lives and not afraid to work hard. Many need only a small hand up and

events like this help them become more self-sufficient and build a better future for themselves

and their children.”

A partnership between UC San Diego and community nonprofits, the celebration will

feature local women, many of whom have received small microfinance loans and other support

to help them start businesses. (and the sponsoring organizations that support them.) Sponsoring

organizations of the event include Women’s Empowerment International, UC San Diego’s

Women’s Center, the UC San Diego International House, EPTEAM (Eliminate Poverty

Through Education and Microfinance) at UC San Diego and the Women’s Equity Council of

 

the United Nations Association of San Diego.

“The work of volunteers at UC San Diego and in the community is making a tremendous

difference in these women’s lives,” Fenly continued. “The International Women’s Day event will

celebrate their achievements.”

Attendees will be able to learn about the benefits of microfinance at the event and will

have the opportunity to meet microfinance loan recipients from many countries (such as

Honduras, Mexico, Ghana and San Diego), and learn how to cook some of their delicious

recipes. (Participants will learn how to make Somali-style food and Ethiopian and dishes.) Also

part of the celebration is a dessert buffet. (with an assortment of chocolate).

Clients of the WE STAR Center, a business incubator for refugee women in City Heights,

will sell imported jewelry, fashion and decorative home ornaments. Additional items range from

fresh flowers to organic baby clothes. The sale proceeds go directly to each vendor.

This International Women’s Day Celebration was the result of a decision made by 100

women from 17 countries at the International Conference of Working Women in 1910. Since

then, this event has grown in importance and impact.

For more information about the International Women’s Day Celebration in San Diego, go

to: http://womenempowerment.org/ and http://ucsdepteam.webs.com/

# ## About UC San Diego Fifty years ago, the founders of the University of California, San Diego had one criterion for the campus: It must be distinctive. Since then, UC San Diego has achieved the extraordinary in education, research and innovation. Sixteen Nobel laureates have taught on campus; our stellar faculty members have been awarded Fields Medals, Pulitzer Prizes, McArthur Fellowships and many other honors. UC San Diego—recognized as one of the top ten public universities by U.S. News & World Report and named by the Washington Monthly as number one in the nation in rankings measuring “what colleges are doing for the country”—is widely acknowledged for its local impact, national influence and global reach. Join us in celebrating 50 years of visionaries, innovators and overachievers. Visit www.50th.ucsd.edu for more information.