2011 International Women’s Day (1911-2011) Summit and Centennial Celebration in San Francisco
Each year the United Nations selects a theme for International Women’s Day (IWD), with some countries creating their own themes. In San Francisco for 2011 the theme is “EQUALITY ACROSS THE BOARD: EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS”. IWD was first 
declared in 1910 at the 2nd International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. Over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish Parliament unanimously voted to establish an international Women’s Day to honor the movement for women’s rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women.
As a result of the Copenhagen initiative, International Women’s Day was marked for the first time March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded women’s rights to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job. Later, the official date was set for March 8th each year and in 1975 the United Nations This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.
