This gala was the first of a couple of celebratory events to honor our 20 years of grantmaking. These anniversary events will take place both in the Bay Area, California, and in South Africa at the AWID Forum on Movements in November 2008.

We look forward to another successful 20 years in supporting women's leadership for change! 

View Global Fund for Women's video featuring three remarkable grantee organizations from Colombia, South Africa and Malaysia.

An Evening of Magic, Inspiration and
Celebration of Women’s Leadership

On Thursday, June 5th, 700 supporters and friends of supporters attended the Global Fund for Women’s twentieth anniversary gala and helped us raise 2 million for women’s human rights world wide. Thanks to the powerful, committed speakers and attendees –- leaders in their fields of social justice, politics, business, the arts and media -- this remarkable gala was filled with inspiring moments of courage, hope and generosity.

Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, and a Co-Chair of the event, delayed a flight to South Africa in order to open the evening with a personal greeting to her Excellency, President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Emcee Ann Curry expressed her commitment to women’s empowerment as she described her own recent experience meeting women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Six passionate and experienced grantee partners from South Africa, Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, Liberia and Egypt, joined us to share in the celebration and a newly developed Global Fund for Women video told their stories of determination and how they are making a difference in their communities.

Gayle King of Oprah Magazine was immersed in conversation with grantee activist, Leymah Gbowee, who led Liberian women in their peaceful resistance to civil war! This story is told in Board member Abby Disney's new film Pray The Devil Back to Hell. 

   
Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected woman President in Africa, spoke eloquently about how the support of grassroots Liberian women like Leymah and others had ensured the success of her campaign. Like the evening, Ellen’s speech was inspiring, magical and re-affirmed her own commitment to create a just and peaceful society where women have a voice, make decisions,, and all citizens live free from poverty and violence.

Amina Mama, Chair of the Global Fund board of directors, reminded us that it was not enough to celebrate our past. Rather,  we must also prepare to achieve the audacious goals the Global Fund has set for ourselves in the next five years as we seek to more than double the resources for international women’s rights groups and movements.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, shared his appreciation with us in a video acceptance speech and was joined by the senior women of the firm in their shared tribute to the work of the Global Fund. It was truly a celebration of the entire network of the Global Fund for Women! We look forward to another successful 20 years in supporting women’s leadership for change!