Purple banners, a purple stage, and people wearing purple tiaras and purple scarves: Purple was all over the place. The color, the symbol of equality, joined women and men against gender discrimination in a stream of purple.
Korean Women? Meeting was held in a festive mood on March 7, in commemoration of the 96th 3.8 World Women? Day. On this day, the meeting greeted its 20th anniversary; over 50 organizations participated under the slogan, ?en and Women? Happy Mutual Existence. The main stage was set up among 20 little booths, where each held different programs. The number 20 stood for their 20th anniversary, each given a date from 1985 to 2004. The ?itizen? Fair and the ?estival of Mutual Existence that drew in many participants were sponsored by the Ministry of Gender Equality, major broadcasting stations, and women media such as the Feminist Journal and the Women? News.
?omen Clean Fund for Transparent Politics (cleanfund.org), a temporary organization under Women Fund established for the 17th General Election did its fund-raising through a mole-catch game. It is a game where you hammer down at the heads of the moles that sporadically pop out from holes. Each mole was given a name such as Hojuje, Illegal election, Corruption. There is no doubt that this game was one of the most popular ones as people lined up to smash at the bald moles.
The peak of the ceremony was when two entertainers, Kwon Hye-hyo and Choi Kwang-gi, pointed out the four stepping stones and the four obstacles in protecting women rights and interests. The four stepping stones included women of the ?raq Antiwar Peace team, and An Kyung-hwan, the Dean of Seoul National University? Law School who brought women and social minorities into the university platforms. In addition, Bae Keum-ja, a law practitioner and the Korea Women? Trade Union was selected. On the other hand, for terrible obstacles, Kim Hyun-a, the producer of Donga TV? ?hallenge! Cinderella, congressman Lee Kyung-jae, and priest Lim Tae-deuk were chosen.
Another meaningful event in the festival was the announcement of the 10 Assignments for Women that included, expansion of women? participation in politics, annulment of hojuje within the year 2004, and support for anti-war movements and pursuance of peace in the Korean Peninsula. These ten key goals light the future direction of women power.
hjjewel@ewha.ac.kr
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