30th Anniversary Celebration in Latin America (WFWP Latin America Sub Region 2)

Written by Gloria Dantas, Director, Subregion 2 Latin America

Thirty years have gone by. Thirty years of full commitment and compromise. So many amazing women voluntarily offered their time and knowledge for the building of an amazing organization. And it seems like a glimpse. Have so many years passed? Yes, they have. So let’s celebrate. 

The WFWP International Vice President of Latin America, Roswitha de Giuliano, suggested having a continental event for WFWPI’s 30th Anniversary Celebration. What a challenge! We have organized one within our subregions, but never in the whole continent. The directors of the five subregions: Cui Yulan, Gloria Dantas, Judith Guillen Sousa, María Aparecida Soares de Sousa and Miho Okazaki of Latin America held meetings and planned every step so that our celebration could highlight the amazing women who have helped build a foundation for WFWP.

The event began with a heartfelt video, filled with photos and memories from the different regions over these past 30 years. The emcees of the program were two young ladies, Jin Hwa Dantas from Argentina and Laura De Lora from Panama. Then, a video showing the vision, mission and activities of WFWPI was shown to the guests.

The International President of WFWPI, Dr. Julia Moon, also made congratulatory remarks. Dr. Moon, recognized WFWP’s foundation laid by our first volunteers in Latin America who left everything behind to serve. Five of the first Japanese volunteers who came to work in Latin America were recognized for their amazing contributions. They were given the award titled “Heart of a Mother” to express the gratitude the WFWP community feels for them. The volunteers each shared such moving testimonies. They left behind their families and homes to come to a foreign country and held strongly onto their mission to support women and children. 

Two VIPs from each of the five subregions of Latin America were also honored. These ladies have been supporting the activities of WFWP for a long time, some of them since the very foundation of WFWP in 1992. These ladies awarded were former First Ladies, former members of Parliament, as well as businesswomen, professors and writers. Some notable recipients of this honor have founded universities and have even received the Meritorious Medal of Honor for their service in the Armed Forces of their countries. The awardees came from all areas of society and offered their great services to the world, to create a more hopeful future. One of the ladies was so moved by being honored that she could not speak, as she tried to express her grateful heart. 

In between the presentation of these admirable women, there were three performances. Delia Martínez, the author of “Mujer Girasol” (“Sunflower Woman”), wrote lyrics talking about women who always look up at the sun, are the lights of life, always fighting battles and overcoming them, building roads among rocks. Julie Kim, a 19-year-old cellist entertained the audience with a majestic performance of “Song of Joy.” Alicia Baroni, a professional singer, sang “Un Mundo Nuevo” (“A New World”). The lyrics talk about the desire to stop wars and the need to understand that we must love each other. Here is an excerpt “Somebody who will come from above so that the universe in harmony will change, somebody with words of faith who will help us create a new world.”

Mrs. Giuliano, offered her closing remarks, congratulating WFWP members, volunteers and Japanese volunteers for their never-ending support. The past 30 years of WFWP’s history were filled with hardships, but also joy. We hope to continue serving the world to make the world a better place, a world in which peace will be the protagonist in people’s lives.