by Briana Bartle
March 7, 2006
Golden Gate XPress
A worldwide live video conference celebrating the eve of International Women’s Day took place at the J. Paul Leonard Library at SF State.
Around 15 SF State students exchanged dialogue with other students from the University of Colorado Springs, Franklin University, Marquette University, and Goshen College as well as the Philippines, Nepal, and Afghanistan on March 7 at 6 p.m. to discuss women’s struggles on a cultural, political and global scale. The video conference streamed live cameras from each of the locations of the U.S. schools, as well as Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Nepal. As each group spoke, the camera displayed them to the rest of the locations, allowing them to see each other talking live.
“The communication lines were very open, and we were able to see the cultural differences we are facing,” said Veronica Canton, a senior political analyst as well as a member on the board of directors of the Americans for Informed Democracy (AID). “Even though laws are established, the culture has not changed.”
The video conference was sponsored by the SF State chapter of the AID and the International Museum of Women (IMOW).
The AID is a non-partisan organization that “brings the world home to the next generation of leaders” through educational seminars, leadership summits, town hall meetings, opinion pieces, and global videoconferences, according to the AID Web site. The IMOW is an establishment created in order to value women around the world through history, art, and cultural programs to further education and knowledge, according to the IMOW Web site.
Issues, such as high infant mortality rates in Afghanistan, as well as the varying cross-cultural definitions of feminism and women’s freedom were brought to the forefront at the conference.
SF State students weighed in on why they attended the event.
“I just wanted to have the opportunity firsthand to hear the issues and concerns women have in different communities and to see what different organizations are doing to address these issues,” said Roya Shahi, 21, an international relations senior. “It was good to be able to hear the viewpoints of different parts of the world and to hear what their lives are like.”
“I am into human rights,” said Robert Silva, 34, an international relations senior. “…promoting economic democracy and education throughout the world. It’s great to hear from these ladies. You learn a lot from what they say, and even more from what they did not say. The struggles do not end until we educate. We need to create awareness and protection.”
The video conference lasted until 7:30 p.m. when each country and school was given the opportunity to make a closing statement.
Canton’s closing pertained to the importance of education.
“We need to educate our constituents about our own rights,” Canton said. “We need to invest time, and the U.S. has that opportunity. Every little bit counts, and as young people, we tend to underestimate our littlest efforts.”
» E-mail Briana Bartle @ bbartle@sfsu.edu
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