Night of 1,000 Dinners
Celebrate International Women’s Day, March 8
Night of 1000 Dinners International Dinner
The Iowa United Nations Association and other community and student groups are sponsoring the annual Night of 1000 Dinners to benefit the U.N. Trust Fund to Support Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women. The event, to be held at Old Brick (26 East Market St., Iowa City), will begin at 5:30 with an international dinner, featuring items donated by ethnic restaurants, served at 6:00 p.m. The program will include international music and a keynote speech and book signing with University of Iowa Professor Lisa Heineman.
Community co-sponsors include AAUW, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Iowa Physicians for Social Responsibility, Iowa Returned Peace Corps Association, League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Peace Iowa, the Stanley Foundation, United Nations Association – Johnson County Chapter, University of Iowa Human Rights Center, and the Women’s Resource and Action Center .
The observance of International Women’s Day (IWD) originated in Europe in the early 20th century with an emphasis of working women. In 1977 the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women's Rights and International Peace. IWD events around the world celebrate the achievements of women.
The Iowa City observance of IWD will benefit the U.N. Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women (U.N. Trust Fund). The U.N. Trust Fund, established in 1996, is only multilateral grant-making mechanism exclusively devoted to supporting local and national efforts to end violence against women and girls. The U.N. Trust Fund works with partners across the world to secure much-needed services for women and girls affected by violence. Through its partners, the Fund also invests in long-term solutions for a world free of violence.