WFWP Europe Holds GWPN Banquet and South East Europe Peace Summit

Written by WFWP Europe and Tamara Starr

On October 26, WFWP held a Global Women’s Peace Network Banquet and Awards Ceremony in Tirana, Albania. Over 100 guests attended including15 parliamentarians, former government ministers, Pres. Moisu’s daughters and many other prominent women leaders from the Balkans, Europe, Middle East and Eurasia.

Suzana Rexhepi of WFWP Albania, and Mitty Tohma, WFWP UK President, co-hosted the event, guiding the audience throughout out the evening. The program included welcoming remarks from WFWPI Europe President, Carolyn Handschin who told the story of a venerable Buddhist monk from France in Europe who sat next to her at lunch during the UPF Summit last year in Korea. He leaned over, so seriously, as if he had been waiting to say this, and announced, “if WFWP can lead the way among women’s organizations to show the model of how to to protect the sanctity of men’s “true honour” during this era of women’s rise to leadership, this new time of enlightenment can proceed more quickly”.

WFWPI President, Julia Moon delivered the welcoming remarks. She described her profound appreciation of the founding vision for WFWP and of the great sacrifices of our devoted sisters in missions around the world.

Introduced by Julia as, “like the Sunshine”, Sun jin Moon, new Senior Vice President for WFWPI came to the  stage to deliver the main address. It was deep and broad, painting a detailed picture of the worlds needs, and the love and capacities of women needed to respond. Of course, she spoke her mother, Dr. Hak Jah Moon, Founding President of WFWPI and in tears, about the strengths and sacrifices being called for at this time.

The event was highlighted with the Global Women’s Peace Leadership Award Ceremony, bestowing “Women of Excellence” Certificates and a grant from WFWP Europe for two outstanding women; Former First Lady of Albania, Dr Liri Berisha and Human Rights defender, Dr. Feride Rushiti.

Dr. Berisha is well known for founding and currently directing multiple institutions that diagnose and care for children with autism and their families. On a visit, a team visited there and saw how she chose the location and designed the buildings with so much attention to detail, in addition, the amount of care that she personally gives to the young patients and their parents. Dr Berisha proved that she worked like a mother of the institution. She spoke in tears in her remarks upon receiving the award.

The second recipient was a gynecologist who served at the time of the war in Kosovo in the early 1990’s. She realized that medical attention would never be enough to heal the thousands of women victims of torture and rape. Creating an NGO to provide a safe place for listening, counseling, treatment and lobbing to the government for support for the needs, she has been recognized around the world.

Her legal reforms are being imitated in other post war countries. But most amazing is clearly the heart of their investment. She too spoke in tears, describing the victims they were helping who have sometimes held their experiences inside their hearts for 20 years- never speaking to anyone.

The former President of Kosovo, HE Fatmir Sejdiu, heard about the dinner meeting and came to greet us informally, thanking WFWP for honoring his compatriot, Dr. Rushiti. The evening closed with the young Czech FFWPU National President, Eva Kacirkova, who performed two beautiful classical songs on the violin.

On October 27, WFWPI in collaboration with UPF organized the South East Europe Summit. WFWP was invited to be the MC and facilitator for both the Opening Banquet (Carolyn Handschin) and the Closing Session (Marilyn Angelucci) of the Summit.

 A very heartfelt appreciation to WFWP Albania and their President, Kasia Minolari, who managed to bring many very influential guests from Albania, with Vice President, Marjetta Roshi and the many WFWP members who got together to create two amazing events.