Revolution and Reform - 1975 and Beyond (2006 - )

On August 6 2005 hundreds of women (and a few men) from all around Australia gathered in Canberra to celebrate the 30th anniversary of International Women's Year (IWY) and the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration on Women in the United Nations Charter.

Organised by the National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW), UNIFEM Australia, the Jessie Street Trust, and the Jessie Street National Women's Library, and supported by a host of sponsors the event celebrated 30 years of achievements by women and for women, in Australia and worldwide. Participants got a centre stage view of IWY events, including the Mexico Conference, and some keyhole glimpses of how that year and what flowed from it has changed the lives of women around the world.

Highlights of the day included ‘snapshot' talks with Sara Dowse and other speakers, recreating the events of IWY and reflecting on the present and future. Australian journalist Maxine McKew compered the formal reception and Elizabeth Reid, who led the Australian delegation to the 1975 Mexico Conference,reprised the speech she gave to that historic conference.

• Day of Celebration

Related People

• Coleman, Marie Yvonne

  Marie Coleman was an NFAW organiser of the August 6 2005 'Day of Celebration'.

• Dowse, Sara (1938 - )

  Sara Dowse spoke at the August 6 2005 'Day of Celebration' about '1975 and after'.

• Evatt, Elizabeth Andreas (1933 - )

  Elizabeth Evatt chaired the Open Forum session of the August 6 'Day of Celebration' conference.