International Women’s Day 2014: Inspiring Change
Originally called International Working Women’s Day, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day set aside to recognize the role of women and their many achievements in activism, business, politics and more.
A Quick Overview of International Women’s Day:
IWD has been observed as early as 1908, but was only recognized and declared a national holiday in 1975, “International Women’s Year”. It is currently an official holiday celebrated on March 8th each year in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia.
Each year the UN encourages the celebration with a theme such as:
- Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future (1996)
- Women Uniting for Peace (2000)
- Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future (2005)
- Investing in Women and Girls (2008)
- Women and Men United to End Violence Against Women and Girls (2009)
International Women’s Day 2014: Inspiring Change
In the past decade (and then some) we have seen women not only inspiring change but changing the world and it’s perspective of women. Although we still have a ways to go, we feel it’s important to take a moment to recognize and appreciate some of the extraordinary women who have overcome their own circumstances with triumph, lead others by example and advocate for women around the world.
In the name of Inspiration we have compiled a list of some of our favorite quotes from women that not only inspire change, but embody it.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Madeleine Albright
“No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid” LupitaNyong’o
“Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use.” Ruth Gordo
“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.” Sheryl Sandberg
“If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit.” Oprah Winfrey
“If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped.” Melinda Gates
“In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit.” Anne Frank
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” Helen Keller
“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt
“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” MalalaYousafzai
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” Audrey Hepburn
“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” Marissa Mayer
“It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” J.K Rowling
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” Arianna Huffington
“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.” Diane Sawyer
We encourage each of you to take this inspiration and change the world around you!