A day to remember and celebrate
March 8th is a day worldwide recognized as International Women’s day. During this day we recognize and celebrate the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women and this day stands as a symbol of solidarity to the women’s equality movement.
International Women's Day, holds its humble roots in the labour movement to become an annual event supported by the United Nations.
Its seeds were scattered in 1908, when about 15,000 women marched through New York demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote.
The following year, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Woman's Day.
It was Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and advocate for women's rights, who suggested the creation of an international day. She proposed her idea to the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910 - and the 100 women who attended , from 17 countries, agreed to it unanimously.
International Women's Day was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The centenary was celebrated in 2011, so this year we're technically celebrating the 111th.
This day was formally recognized in 1975 when the United Nations started celebrating the day. T
he first theme adopted (in 1996) was "Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future".
While Clara's idea for an International Women's Day had no specific date , it wasn't formalised until a wartime strike in 1917, when Russian women demanded "bread and peace"; four days into the strike the tsar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote.
The strike began on 8 March and this became the date that International Women's Day is celebrated.
In Italy the holiday is known as La Festa della Donna. We celebrate this occurance by gifting women a smal bouquet/ stem of yellow mimosa flowers, these blooms are gifted on March 8th not as a romantic gesture but one of solidarity.
Mimosa blooms , orm acacia flowers are an Italian tradition , every country has its own ways of celebrating this day.
Gifting mimosa blooms holds roots in an historic decision made in 1946 when three women belonging to the Union of Italian Women , Rita Montagnana, Teresa Noce, e Teresa Mattei , proposed these blooms as symbol of March 8th.
Mattei at 25 years old she became the youngest to be elected to the Constituent Assembly and later became national director of the Italian Women’s Union.
In France the violet flower was used to represent women’s solidarity, but Mattei decided on the Mimosa for Italy noting, “it’s a humble flower and can be found everywhere here in the countryside.”
Mimosas may seem like a delicate flowers but in fact, just like women, they are very resistant and can grow anywhere, even in the harshest of environments.
On this day I usually try to remember the struggles of generations past while looking at my daughter with eyes full of hope.
On a funny side note here’s a yummy mimosa recipe :
Blushed Mimosa:
1 750 ML chilled bottle of Prosecco ( Yes you can use Champagne….but I am sticking to my Italian roots…)
2 cups of chilled freshly squeezed orange juice with pulp removed
1 cup of freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice pulp removed
2 TBSP Grenadine
Champagne Flutes:
Directions: Mix the orange juice and grenadine together. Stir juice and grenadine mixture with prosecco. Add two marachino cherries in the champagne flutes ans pour the mixture…..sip and enjoy :o)
