We are getting closer – It is October already, and the 2-day event is next week! It is exactly 6 days until the Global Woman Awards and 7 days from the Walk To End FGM (#walk2endfgm). Have you registered yet? Get ready! Register at https://www.wizathon.com/walk2endfgm/, and be a part of a memorable event of its 6th and 7th year respectively. This week and next week, we will feature 2 awardees a day. Yesterday, we featured Professor Donald Strong and Advocate Purity Soinato Oiyie. Here are our featured Honorees for today, Thursday, October 8th:
Our 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award goes to the Honorable Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly, who is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia’s 11th District, which includes Fairfax County, Prince William County, and the City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia. Prior to his election to Congress, he served 14 years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including five years as Chairman. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and serves as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, and also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Using his extensive background in foreign policy, including as a senior staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has become a leading voice on foreign assistance reform, war powers, embassy security, and democracy promotion abroad.
Our 2020 Survivor Activist Award goes to Ifrah Ahmed, who is originally from Somalia in East Africa and has been living in Ireland since 2006 and is a survivor of FGM. Ifrah is a social and community worker and has worked on many different projects involving organizations such as UNICEF, Amnesty International, Irish Refugee Council, Cairde, The Africa Centre, Spirasi, Somali Community in Ireland, Integration of African Children in Ireland and AkiDwA and others. “A Girl from Mogadishu” is based on the testimony of Ifrah Ahmed, who, having made the extraordinary journey to escape war-torn Somalia – emerged as one of the world’s foremost international activists against Gender Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation. Within six years of arriving in Ireland as a refugee, Ifrah was instrumental in pushing forward the legislation that banned FGM in Ireland in 2012. In 2012, Ireland passed the FGM Bill, officially banning the practice. She is the Founder of the Ifrah Foundation. The Ifrah Foundation was founded in 2010 by Ifrah, who had become an Irish citizen. The organization is registered and recognized as a Civil Society Organization in Ireland. Ifrah is one of the world’s top international FGM eradication advocates and activists.
Global Woman Awards – Friday afternoon, October 16, 2020:
We will collaborate with SheFFA Foundation and George Washington University in collectively honoring 5 women, 4 men and a secondary school student. They will receive the Global Woman Award in 9 different categories. To read about all of our 2020 honorees, visit https://www.wizathon.com/walk2endfgm/?id=4945.
Friday Itinerary: 3:00p.m. Global Woman Awards, Keynote Speech from Lyric Thompson of ICRW, a speech from Maryum Saifee, and musical entertainment from vocalist “Butterscotch” and jazz vocalist and musician, Benjamin Caesar.
Friday afternoon emcee: Tyra Garlington, International Talk Show Host
Friday Location: Virtual Zoom livestream broadcast – link and e-program are now being provided this week. Check your email inbox for link and e-program.
Walk To End FGM – Saturday morning, October 17, 2020:
Former Maine State Representative, Heather Sirocki is our Keynote Speaker of the day, and we will be joined by guitarist and vocalist, Royce Lovett, who will serenade us before we take to the streets in our respective communities to safely walk, observing the social distancing requirements. We hope you will join us. To read about our 2020 speakers, entertainers and Emcees, visit https://www.wizathon.com/walk2endfgm/?id=4946.
Saturday Itinerary: Pre-walk program starts at 10:00a.m. – the walk starts at 11:30a.m. Please take photos and/or videos of you walking and post them to our Facebook page. We will compile a collage in memory of the year 2020 when our lives changed, and every life that was lost to COVID-19.
Saturday morning emcee: Linord Moudou, International Talk Show Host
Saturday Location: Virtual Zoom livestream broadcast – link and e-program is now being provided this week. Remember to check your email inbox for link and e-program.
Special Saturday Prizes to: Teams that raise the 4 highest amounts. Competing today in the Top 4 spots are Team Jacqui Olkin in 1st place, Team Marin Hoang in 2nd place, Team Karen McDonnell in 3rd place, and Team Diane Walsh in 4th place. The competition changes every day, so join in the race. We have great special prizes this year. It is not too late to form a team or join one. You may select the number of miles or kilometers you will walk, and get your local merchant(s) to sponsor each mile with a dollar amount to help us raise funds. Text your donations in advance to (571) 336-0030
Ways to Participate
- Form a team and invite others to join your team and help raise funds
- Join a team that is already formed
- Register as an individual participant
- Sponsor a team or an individual participant or sponsor the event
- Be a Partner Organization with Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation in the Walk to End FGM
Contact us at info@globalwomanpeacefoundation.org or call 703-832-2642. Also register at www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org and Walk To End FGM. Text your donations in advance to (571) 336-0030
Don’t Miss Out!!!
********We are reminding you to register if you have not done so********
The proceeds raised from the Walk To End FGM are used to support the mental and physical health of survivors of FGM/C, including group and one-on-one counseling. Proceeds will also help keep Liberian and Sierra Leone girls in school to prevent them from undergoing FGM/C. To read about our 4 programs visit https://www.wizathon.com/walk2endfgm/?id=4940.
Thank You for Your Support!
Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. As such, your donations and registration fees are tax deductible to the maximum extent required by law.