A Dinner To Celebrate Women’s Power

PWI Brussels invited HQ to its annual International Women's Day 2020 Gala Dinner at Le Chatelain Hotel and it has been a refreshing celebration of equal rights. On March 7, the event honoured all women and men who advocate a gender balanced world.

Not all bikes are the same, certainly they don’t look like. That’s the lesson that Clare Hutchinson, NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, taught us during her presentation.

When she asked for a bike as a little child, she didn't receive the one so excitedly expected. Instead, on Christmas day she found a pink women’s bike in her house. Yet, she wanted to ride as fast as possible with her brothers and male friends. She did what she could and, given the improper mean she had, she kept falling and hurting herself. Eventually, her parents decided to buy her the race bike she wanted in the first place.

Clearly, young Hutchinson had a point: we can’t expect women to reach the same results men reach, if they are not provided with the same means. Culture and education need to change, in order to smash the patriarchy and create an equal society.

Many challenges still lie ahead us and sadly a bigger effort is required to women, but organisations like PWI are making the fight easier. They show that women can do anything they want, and will do so by assembling and working together.

The event started with a welcome from the president of PWI Brussels Anaida Dibra and went on with the keynote speech of Hutchinson, followed by the European Banking Federation’s CEO Wim Mijs, UN Human Rights Regional Representative for Europe Birgit Van Hout, and Sibelco’s Ilse Kenis. They showed that we can all benefit from an inclusive society where no one has to struggle to become what they wish they would. The message was that freedom goes hand in hand with opportunities.

A special prize raffle was sponsored by various partners, including Mattel, The Fry Group and A Cube as golden partners, EY and Arkadia Translations as silver partners. Workshops, as well as special treatments and empowering Barbie dolls were offered to the guests.

After dinner and a dessert buffet, a fun dancing party with DJ Bruselo took place. As the speaker Van Hout pointed out in her presentation, we should always take some time to celebrate the battles we win and the achievements we obtain!

You can find more information at the PWI website.