International Women’s Day

On Friday 3 March, over 150 guests attended our annual International Women’s Day Breakfast in Centenary Hall. This important day was initiated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1975 and has since been celebrated each year throughout the world.

International Women’s Day is an invitation for all to acknowledge the contribution of women around the world. It’s a reminder of how we all play a part in actively supporting women, so they are included in decision making, empowered to achieve success, and have a sense of belonging in all they do.

This year we raised $1725 for the FCJ Sisters Manila Mission, specifically for the FCJ Learning and Development Centre to assist with the Women’s Income Generating Project. This project focuses on educating women with basic computer skills, leadership skills and business training to earn their own income. This project enables women to gain independence and supports women in making meaningful changes to improve their lives.  

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Embrace equity’. Gender Equity differs from gender equality, as equity refers to fairness of treatment for both women and men, according to their respective needs. If equality is the goal we are striving for, equity is the means to get there. This was highlighted by our guest speaker Isabelle Zupan, who unpacked that through working for equity we can create an even playing field for all people. She explained that equity, in its simplest terms, is about meeting individuals and communities where they are and allocating resources and opportunities as needed to create equal outcomes for all.

Isabelle is a Genazzano alumna who was the Dux of the College in 2017. She has since gone into the field of medicine and has displayed through her actions her willingness to help others and her heart for justice which reflects the morals of International Women’s Day. During her speech she also spoke about the lasting impact the Genazzano has had on her since completing her secondary education and how she has navigated her university degree and the workforce. She spoke honestly about failure the importance of the experience for young people to know in discovering who we are. Isabelle left a lasting impression of perseverance and generosity.

During the breakfast we had a student panel of social justice representatives which included Isabella Nigro, Isabella Smallwood, Sandrine Baroni, Florence Ryan, and Margaret Yin. They panel provided thoughtful opinions and reflections about what International Women’s Day means to students at Genazzano. We were also graced with a live performance by the Gen rock band consisting of incredibly talented Year 8 and 9 students, Bessie Blazé, Alessia Di Parsia, Gabrielle Kobayashi-Walsh, and Greta Clancy and Mr Chris Paraha with their rendition of ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac.