Check out how World celebrated International Women’s Day 2019
Every year, on March 8, the world honours the women of the world by celebrating the International Women’s Day. The idea of celebrating Women’s Day came about in 1909 after the Socialist Party of America organised a Women’s Day on February 28, 1909, in New York.
While the day itself carries the clear theme of female empowerment across the world, the way it’s acknowledged and celebrated differs from country to country.Some companies offer women a half-day off work, for example, while others celebrate by giving one another flowers.
On a day like today, when the world takes out time to celebrate women for who they are and whatever they aspire to become, let us take a look at how the world chose to extend their gratitude and celebrate the cause.
Google on Friday celebrated International Women’s Day with a doodle comprising of written illustrations that read ‘Woman’ in multiple languages. The languages represent women from all around the world, celebrating their unity and strength. The Women’s Day special Google doodle slides illustrate quotes written by strong, passionate, successful women from around the globe that included Dr. Mae Jemison, American astronaut and physician; Frida Kahlo, Mexican artist; Emma Herwegh, German writer; Yoko Ono, Japanese multimedia artist; ML Beno Zephine, Indian diplomat; Mary Kom, Indian boxer; Clarice Lispector, Brazilian novelist; Zaha Hadid, British-Iraqi architect; Millicent Fawcett, British writer and suffragette; Marina Tsetaeva, Russian poet; George Sand, French novelist; Sanmao, Chinese-born Taiwanese writer and Chimamanda Adichie, Nigerian writer.
Berlin
As International Women’s Day occurred on Friday, Berlin took a new approach. The German capital declared the day—known as Frauentag locally—an official holiday for the first time this year, giving workers and students the day off.
Earlier this year, Berlin’s local government, controlled by a coalition of the Social Democrats, Left Party and the Greens, was pushing International Women’s Day as the 10th official holiday for the city. More conservative parties, meanwhile, were advocating for the protestant Reformation Day to become Berlin’s next holiday, but the ruling coalition wanted to pick a nonreligious occasion to better reflect the city’s multicultural residents. Berlin’s parliament voted 87-60 in January to make International Women’s Day a permanent holiday.
Berlin had just nine public holidays until now—fewer than any other state. Many German states have 10 public holidays; Bavaria has 13. Schools, public agencies, banks and most businesses were closed in Berlin today; tourists attractions, restaurants and cafes remained open for the most part.
United States
In the US, the whole of March is Women’s History Month. This has been an ongoing celebration since February 1980 when President Jimmy Carter declared the week of 8 March as National Women’s History Week. Within a few years, thousands of schools across the country had embraced the week as a means of achieving equality in the classroom, something that was spearheaded by the National Women’s History Alliance. It was also supported by city councils and governors, who ran events and special programmes to champion female empowerment.
The celebrations evolved and by 1986, 14 states had extended the celebrations to last for the duration of March. Now, every year an official statement of recognition is issued by the President, known as a Presidential Proclamation, on IWD to honour the achievements of American Women.
Italy
In Italy, International Women’s Day is called La Festa della Donna. It’s celebrated primarily by the giving of bright yellow Mimosa blossom flowers. On the day itself, bouquets of the sunshine-hued blooms are sold on almost every street corner in Italy, the idea being that people honour the women in their lives by giving them these flowers, which are viewed as a symbol of female strength and sensibility.
This floral theme also manifests in confectionery form, with some Italians choosing to celebrate IWD by making a special cake designed to resemble small blooms of the mimosa flower. Traditionally, this is a sponge cake made with citrus liqueur and topped with cream and cubes of pastry to mimic the shape of the flower.
China
In China, 8 March has been a national holiday since 1949. Many companies offer female employees a half-day on International Women’s Day so that they can spend the afternoon celebrating. Similar to Valentine’s Day, IWD in China is viewed as an opportunity to treat the women they love with special gifts.
It has, therefore, been adopted as a day for commercial opportunities, with many brands capitalising on the probability that people want to spend money on the women in their lives by launching special IWD marketing campaigns and deals. China also celebrates Girl’s Day on 7 March, which is dedicated to championing the achievements of younger Chinese women in schools and universities.
UK
In the UK, International Women’s Day is celebrated in a number of ways, with a special focus on raising awareness of social and political issues affecting women. Events taking place around the country this year in honour of IWD include panel talks, exercise classes and gigs, many of which aim to raise funds for specific charities dedicated to women’s rights. This year, several fashion brands have partnered with women’s charities to raise money through sales of special IWD garments.
Online luxury retailer Net-a-Porter, for example, has teamed up with a whole host of luxury labels, including Isabel Marant and Victoria Beckham, to support the humanitarian charity Women for Women International.
Spain
In 2018, more than five million female workers marked International Women’s Day with a landmark 24-hour strike to protest against the gender pay gap, domestic violence and sexual discrimination in the workplace. Rallies took place around the country in more than 200 locations. Those taking part were encouraged by organisers not to spend any money on the day and not participate in any domestic chores.
This year, similar protests as organised by the feminist organisation The 8M Commission are expected to take place.
Something off-beat
Wheras, Indian airlines decided to greet women passengers on board in a unique way by organising small activities and handing over cookies and roses. There is an inherent need to have more and more women in authoritative and powerful positions- as pilots, as Brigadiers and Majors in Army, in Navy as Admirals, in police force as well as in key combat roles.
A slew of measures have been announced by airlines like Vistara and Air India. While the former airline decided to celebrate the spirit and enthusiasm of women who work for them with #WomenWhoMakeUsFly, Air India decided to operate 52 flights with all-women crew.Women flyers were greeted with roses and cookies by the cabin crew of Vistara. Women also posed with cardboard-made photo frames for a selfie on International Women’s Day.
On the other hand, National Carrier Air India decided to fly 12 International flights and almost 40 domestic flights with all-women crew on Friday. Air India deployed its B787 Dreamliners and B777s on 12 international routes operated exclusively by women pilots and attended by women cabin crew. Women pilots and cabin crew operated Airbus family aircraft as well as Dreamliners to over 40 domestic destinations and back to commemorate the occasion. For most of these flights, even the technical services were provided by woman aircraft engineers, technicians and flight dispatchers.
So to sum up, we are extremely proud of all the women’s in our life and around us!
Wishing once again all the super duper- lovely women’s a very happy Women’s day!!
