One of the leading charity clubs in the country – Rotary Club of Negombo along with 70 Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka recently organized a Mega event tiled ‘Power Woman’ drawing over 5,000 both working and non-working women across the country to celebrate the International Women’s Day on the 8th of March 2020, at Avenra Garden Hotel complex in Negombo.
The Power Woman was organized as the Rotary Club of Negombo’s key fund raiser for the year and the event was graced by the current Mrs. World 2019 Mrs. Caroline Jurie with three prominent women speakers who spoke on women’s social, educational, political and psychological empowerment.
Power Woman brought the elegance of women’s achievements with the presence of some of the outstanding women in their careers in the country including Mrs. Ramani Fernando and Ms. Gowri Rajan – Past District Governor of Rotary Sri Lanka, Hon. Kumudini Wickramasinghe – Judge of the Court of appeal in Sri Lanka, Ms. Thilini De Silva, Ms. Udari Nadeeshani, Mrs. Deemathi Periyapperuma – Senior Superintendent of Police, Ms. Gangulali De Silva – Sri Lankan Youth delegate to the UN 2019 -2020 as Guests of Honor. The event was a ‘Brainchild’ of Rotarian Mudara Weerasinghe as Project Chairperson under the patronage and leadership of Rotary Club of Negombo President Mr. Alex Cooray.
Apart from these outstanding women leaders in the country, Power Woman added more colour and entertainment and luxury by offering free salon services to the lady participants at the event including free hair settings, free make ups, free nail arts from Ramani Fernando Salons, 8 fashion shows by Suriya Batik, Fashion Bug and Designer Athula Mendis with many more brands that give back to the society.
This year the 2020 International Women’s Day focused on the theme, ‘An equal world is an enabled world’.
It offers an opportunity to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. International Women’s Day campaign of 2020, #EachForEqual, draws attention to the difference individuals can make. “An equal world is an enabled world” – and every one of us can do our bit to bring about gender equality. It seeks to draw attention also to the idea that gender inequality isn’t a women’s issue, but an economic one – as gender equality is essential for economies and communities to thrive.
The Mega event – ‘Power Woman’ focused towards the objective to recognize the working women and to empower them to play an important role in employment and in general in the society. The event connected the women professionals of different fields to inspire and to become effective allies to take action towards to include them in to our male dominated community in more meaningful manner. The trade Fair planned at the Power Woman also offered the opportunity for the small-scale self-employed women to showcase their products to the participants within the hotel premises in separate booths as a form of economic empowerment initiative.
All women’s associations of leading girl’s schools in the area and the Rotary District which consist of 70 Clubs Island wide took part at the Power Woman 2020. According to officials Power Woman will also continue as an annual event in Rotary Club of Negombo’s Calendar from this year.