MI celebrates International Women's Day

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University held its third annual silent auction in support of International Women's Day on Tuesday, March 8.

The event was organized by MI International, the international office of the Marine Institute, and included a number of unique and hand crafted items including jewelry, wooden crafts, silk scarves, purses and a variety of gourmet foods. The majority of the items available at the auction were created by women in developing countries around the world.

The items were purchased, and then donated, by MI faculty, staff and managers who have participated in international development projects all over the world. The original purchase of these items helped supported women and their families in developing countries; while a large portion of the proceeds from the silent auction will support women and children in Newfoundland and Labrador. All money raised during the third annual Marine Institute silent auction in support of International Women’s Week will go to local food banks and an orphanage in Malawi.

“We decided to donate some of the proceeds to food banks because quite often, the majority of people who rely on food bank services are women and families on low and/or fixed incomes,” said Bill Chislett, director, MI International. “We wanted to offer support to this group of women while acknowledging that women and children are impacted by poverty in our province.”

A power point presentation highlighting the achievements of MI International projects in support of women’s development and the push for equality and progress took place during the silent auction. MI faculty and staff who have participated in international projects were available for discussion during this time.

In 2010, more than 75 MI faculty and staff took part in the silent auction, helping to raise $1,235 for local food banks. International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 each year in countries all over the world. It is a day to acknowledge the cultural, political and economic impact women make on the international stage. 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. The theme for 2011 is Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women. For more information, visit www.internationalwomensday.com.