An International Women’s Day Speech written by Rebekah Alsterberg Wigemark, Intermodal Expressive Artist, Poet/Singer/Philosopher, EXA therapist, Spouse to EU Special Representative, H.E. Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark

International Women’s Day celebrates women from all stages in life,

Let us all honor

the young woman, the woman childbearing years, the artist of her own destiny, the single woman, the married woman,

the sister, the mother, the lover, the partner, the daughter, the cousin,

the aspiring student, the teacher, the elder woman, the old woman,

the old crone… The philosopher, the best friend,

the leader, and all the women ancestors who went before us…

In all of these women exist the mythical element of the goddess on earth.

Above all, International women’s day can celebrate the whole entity of female gender and also the independence of what prejudice against her gender entails.

Women’s empowerment is a story also of women oppressed in many regions around the world. These tragic events have left many abandoned and in crisis, in need of love and support.

As humans, we all seek role models, which begin within the home.

We also seek the sacred within us, the goddess strength within our souls.

Strong Female Role models can teach all genders how to grow and to learn, especially how to live and teach caring to educate against violence… We must all educate against the injustice of all inequality.

As women we must also be warriors to protect life.

Just as a lioness knows her own strength, a woman knows she has power when she trusts herself.

All women need to learn and know how to work together against injustice.   Sadly fewer women understand how to fight against injustice, jealousy and the extremes of oppression with other humans.

Women could look to nature for courage also. In the animal kingdom, both female and male have each their own strong roles to play.

Using the old saying: “Like a pride of lions”, Women also need to remember to give thanks to fellow brave women who have been working endlessly as beacons of hope… In this way, each and every woman guards her role in the pride of her strength.

WOMEN especially need to choose to be the role models that they seek to find or educate in others, especially when no one is there for them. It is a hard journey for many.   When you meet those who are alone, or those who have no voice, go to them, embrace them, work with them. But, above all, be who you are as an example for those around you.

When even one woman rises above her pain and holds the torch for truth, for dignity and for who she is,— this brave woman then ignites a flame of hope for all around her and for the world.

Such stories also inspire others and quickly spread empowerment.

In today’s world, too many women live in fear of speaking out. Women live in for fear of violence. Women keep silence for fear of the horrors of abuse. Many women live in fear of their lives.   In the world today, still in many areas of the world 80 % of women have no healthcare. This tragedy in lack of caring in society affects mothers and babes. 80% given no education, prevented from learning by their families.

How has this happened? We must ask ourselves again and again.

When women are oppressed, the oppressors have forgotten they would never have existed, had not a woman given them life.

No human can exist without women bearing them into the world, nursing each babe with love and encouraging each child growing …

Sadly and tragically, in the human race, gender imbalance struggles have affected women all around the globe. None of us are immune.

All of us feel the repercussions of the psychological extremes created by gender prejudice and imbalance.

We are all responsible to change this sad story, no matter what privileges and freedoms some of us know. If another woman somewhere else in the world is oppressed, her life and struggles affect us all.

Your story affects my story. What happens to you happens to me and to all of us.

Often due to the imbalances in male-female, patriarchal and matriarchal relations, many women work in isolation. Many women live in fear of oppression by their male piers in their society.

We need to break these isolation barriers and share our needs and pain together as women. In that way we will find our joy and our strength in support of life and social harmony.

A man who loves a woman also honors his equality with her. Likewise a woman who loves a man needs to honor her equality with him.

Both men and women- No matter who we are, no matter what gender we are born to: We all need women’s rights, and women’s empowerment. This is a global matter, because, if as a child- our mothers are oppressed, we have a reaction to that oppression.

Children, both young men and women are always affected by how their mothers feel on every level. Likewise- if mothers are flourishing and free- They will give confidence to every new generation.

If the balance between male-female were healthy in any given society, there would be education, growth and creativity for everyone.

In a healthy creative society, the psychological elements of the God and Goddess of gender strive always to be in harmony.

In the dire circumstances in our present world society conflicts and crisis – I think it is vital for woman to take on roles of leadership.

Women also need to support each other and work together to help inspire and encourage each other to learn and grow.

Biologically we are hard-wired for compassion, creativity and the ability to care to help heal our world.

The happiness of every family is when the mother of the family is feeling inspired and secure in who she is.

This also means the happiness and security of any society is when women are inspired, free and secure in who they are, believing that they can create with hope in life.

Sisters & friends must also inspire and support each other as women, not impair each other by power struggles, jealousy or envy. We need to protect our gender by our intelligence in caring first for each other.

There is a saying in many religions that Paradise is always under mother’s feet. I would add that paradise is also women’s feet firmly walking on earth together, a kinship of strength in supporting each other. This is also about a psychological equality of sisters and brothers, both female and male.

There are truly so many unsung women heroes in our world. In each and every country in the world, there are many truly brilliant women doing tremendous untold work.

All women need to remind each other around the globe that they are with each other in heart and soul for the imperative and vital work that women on earth do.

You as women help to help raise up hope, creativity, educational standards and the full compassionate awareness of wisdom and care in your countries around the globe. In the world and for the earth, everything you do matters.

Your great vision and your stories can teach every woman around you how to stand for justice and how to stand for the inner dignity and wisdom of our gender.

For the sake of the future of human existence on earth, women everywhere need, more than ever to stand together now.

We women need to stand firmly against the ignorance that breeds oppression. Women need to stand together against wars and against intolerance.

Above all, women especially need to stand together against the vast crimes mankind has inflicted against nature.

The circle of what humanity knows as life on earth is in your hands.

When a child is in danger a mother does everything to save that child. In the same women must raise our full awareness and be active to save the environment for life on earth.

It is well known that degrees of progress in the social life of any nation derive from respect for the woman. The health of our planet also relies on respect for women.

Times and events in our world are becoming more urgent than ever to voice real issues, especially for women and the fate of our world. In the heart of women is also the hope for healing of the environment on our planet.

The existence of life as we know it on earth is in imminent danger. If we do not act now, the earth may recover after millions of years, but we may not be there in that new world, unless we all endeavor to create change now. True women’s empowerment on earth is the work of love and equality, the hope for human rights and for earth rights. These elements are a part of each other.

American Indian nations call the planet “Mother Earth”. It is my hope that as women, we all stand together to demand dignity and respect for each other as we must also now demand the respect and dignity to save our only home, mother earth.

That is my hope for International Women’s Day and for every day we continue to live on earth, for all of you and for us all.

© Written by Rebekah Alsterberg Wigemark, February, 2016