1. How many women and from which countries
We do not have an accurate final account, but we estimate over 700 participants attended the conference. We arranged hotel accommodation for 400 internationals, and we estimate that 300 more joined us at the conference site – Israelis, Palestinians, and other internationals who arranged for their own accommodation. We know that 750 translation earphones were used during the first (largest) day of the conference. Therefore, our official estimate is “over 700”.
Participants attended from the following 39 countries: Abkhazia; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Bolivia; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Cambodia; Canada; Chechnya; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Croatia; D.C. Congo; Denmark; El Salvador; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Guatemala; Iceland; India; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Netherlands; Nigeria; Palestine; Philippines; Russia; Serbia-Montenegro; South Africa; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; U.K.; and U.S.
2. Women from regions in conflict
Thanks to the generosity of foundations and individuals, the conference was immensely enriched by the presence of women who are peace and human rights activists in regions that are in conflict or post-conflict situations (and one woman from the oppressed Dalit caste in India). These women spoke at plenary sessions and in workshops, and also shared extensively during the informal periods.
For these participants, the conference paid for air-travel, hotel accommodation, conference expenses, and per diem for their stay in the region before and after the conference. (The conference also gave partial stipends for local fees to some 30 women who were able to pay airfare.) The women who were on full stipend:
§ From Abkhazia: Natella Akaba
§ From Bolivia: Julieta Rosario Ojeda Marguay
§ From Chechnya: Natalia Estemirova
§ From Chile: Liliana Mason Padilla
§ From Colombia: Maria Theresa Arizabaleta and Sandra Guttierez Torres
§ From El Salvador: Dinorah Aguinada Deras
§ From Guatemala: Yolanda de la Luz Aguilar Urizar
§ From India: Joanna Bhalerao
§ From Nigeria: Charity Angya
§ From the Philippines: Eleanor Jose
§ From Russia: Elena Vilenskaya
§ From the former Yugoslav republics: Jelena Djordjević, Jadranka Milićević, Lepa Mladjenović, Tijana Popivoda, Svetlana Šarić, Zorica Trifunović, Staša Zajović.
The participation of women from these countries was funded by foundations and members of Women in Black vigils from all over the world.
3. Other special participants
In addition to the women from regions of conflict, attending the conference were other officials and leaders in their communities. To name a few:
***Five women who had been nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize
***A member of the European Parliament
***A Minister in the Palestinian Authority
***Three former members of the Israeli Knesset
***A Buddhist monk working in Cambodia
***Three nuns from India
***A liberation theology Catholic pastor from Canada
Many of the hundreds of other participants are leaders in their organizations and communities on behalf of peace and human rights.
Charity Angya from Nigeria. Photo Radio Feminista
Jelena Djordjevic, Yugoslavia, & Jadranka Milicevic, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Photo Lieve Snellings
Hanan Salman & Iman Saffarinia, Palestine. Photo Charling Tao
Next: Combining Activism and Deliberations
Obstacles & How Overcome (or not…)
________________________________________________________
As elsewhere on this website, opinions expressed about this conference are solely my own. Gila Svirsky