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- By Rev. Tet Gallardo
In June 2021, ICUUW received a $2,800 grant from the UU Funding Program's Fund for International Unitarian Universalism in support of a project titled Kababayin-an alang sa Kalig-on Og Kabubut-on (Women for Strength and Self-Determination). The project aims to build and strengthen women’s leadership in UU congregations in the Philippines as well as create a sustainable and effective national UU women’s association. The goals will be achieved through monthly congregational visits providing a series of trainings on women’s rights and response to gender-based violence, discussions on organizational goals and objectives, and the creation of a new set of Bylaws.
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- By ICUUW Staff
In-Country Partner
The comprehensive leadership development training in Bolivia rose out of ICUUW's 2015 Gathering. The Bolivian organizing team was made up of Unitarians and liberal religious women from La Paz (the Bolivian capital) and surroundings. Project leader Calixta Choque attended ICUUW’s Gathering in Bolivia in 2015.
Leadership Development (2019-2021)
A pilot leadership training program in Bolivia – identified as a key need at ICUUW's 2015 Gathering – was implemented in 2019 thanks to the generous support of people who contributed on Faithify. The campaign raised approximately $2,500 to enable marginalized Bolivian women in District 7 of Viacha (near La Paz) to become a powerful force for change in their families and communities by building income-generating and leadership skills as well as developing capacities for long-term success.
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- By Karen Kortsch, ICUUW President
Beloved Members and Friends,
As more and more people are being vaccinated and hospitalization numbers decline, the U.S. seems to be emerging from the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, other parts of the world are dealing with surges in infections and deaths. We hold in our hearts the people of India especially, as the virus resurges and vaccines are in short supply.
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- By ICUUW Staff
Join us on June 15 at 10 am EDT for our Annual Gathering, where we will create a space to connect our members and supporters in a dialogue to explore pathways to gender equality!
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- By ICUUW Staff
Elected to the Board of Directors:
Roby Jean Cortez-Ponsica, the Philippines, for a first 3-year term
A fourth generation UU, Roby Jean has been a member of the Caican Congregation since 2019. Majoring in science at Negros Oriental State University, she has been a UU youth delegate since 2013 and a member of the Southern District Council since 2020. She served as the treasurer of the Kalumboyan Congregation and participated in numerous extracurricular activities during high school (journalism, broadcasting, and various task forces).
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- By Elgiva Dora Shullai, India
ICUUW's Faithify crowdfunding effort to provide Covid relief for Unitarian communities in North East India, in partnership with Seng Kynthei Women’s Wing of North East India, was met with success. The funds raised will provide financial and food aid to the most vulnerable, mental health support, COVID-19 education and prevention, as well as advocacy to reduce coronavirus-related stigmas.
In addition, the project will address teenage pregnancy and child marriage, exacerbated by the prolonged government-imposed lockdown.
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- By Karen Kortsch, ICUUW President
Greetings, dear friends of ICUUW,
Thanks to the dedication of so many of you, we are moving forward with new programs, committees, and strategies to develop a stronger, more powerful International Convocation of UU Women.
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- By Creamlimon Nongbri, Secretary, Seng Kynthei, Unitarian Union, North East India
On 20 December 2020, the Seng Kynthei Women’s Wing of the Unitarian Union of North East India (UUNEI) celebrated its 40th anniversary – in place of its Biennial Conference – at the Unitarian Church of Jowai. The event was organized by the local women’s association, under the leadership of Kong Tippor Shullai, Secretary of the Seng Kynthei Jowai Church.
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- By Karen Kortsch, ICUUW President
Dear Members and Friends,
After almost two years of dealing with the realities of a worldwide pandemic, we find ourselves trying to adjust to a “new normal.” When I wrote to you last, we in North America were seemingly emerging from the worst and were hopeful that victory over the virus was in sight. But the global health crisis is far from over. We must stay vigilant and ever mindful of our role in protecting the health of the most vulnerable among us. ICUUW members, along with our partners around the world, have been working to strengthen women’s voices and leadership despite continuing challenges.
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- By ICUUW Staff
On Saturday, October 17, more than 100 people participated in the first virtual service organized by UNOSZ, the Unitarian Women’s Association of Romania, in collaboration with ICUUW. This special occasion was a wonderful testimony to the strong ongoing collaboration between ICUUW and UNOSZ.
The virtual event on Zoom, moderated by Rev. Júlia Jobbágy, drew people from all over the world, from Hungary to England to the United States; in several village churches across Transylvania, the service was projected onto big screens. The service was conducted in Hungarian, but the English translations of the texts were provided in a chat box.
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- By ICUUW Staff
Friendship and Creativity in Troubled Times
U*U women worldwide have been meeting since spring on Zoom calls organized by ICUUW, gaining strength from and building on each other’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. As some participants put it, “we are in the same storm but not in the same boat,” but “when we get lonely, it will be together. When we are together, it will never be lonely.”
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- By Karen Kortsch, ICUUW President
Greetings, Members and Friends,
25 years ago, representatives of 189 nations unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women. Since then, all the countries involved in developing this platform have fallen short on their commitments. The global health crisis has intensified existing gender inequalities, threatening to undo a century’s worth of progress.