“The Women of Latin America have fought for their freedom since the time of colonization. Little is heard about the women who have been social fighters in Latin America; today we want to recognize the thousands of women who do not appear in books, the women who contributed in the struggle for the independence of our countries, and the women who continue to participate in all the social movements of Latin America.” - SCULA IWD 2008 Report, prepared and presented by Rosa Arteaga Over a hundred people came together on Saturday March 1st to celebrate International Women’s Day with a political-cultural event organized by the Solidarity Coalition for a United Latin America (SCULA). The event brought together people young and old, and from many diverse backgrounds, to celebrate the struggles of women in Latin America and their strong connection to women throughout the world. The evening got off to a great start with the young group “Las Ninas Bailando” who performed traditional Latin American dances to loud applause. The cultural presentations did not stop there, as Dilia Ochoa and Alfonso Ovalle, both of Proyecto Cultural Sur, performed passionate poems and heartfelt songs in tribute to the evening. The performances were complimented by a packed list of speakers. The featured speaker was Ana Moraga, director of MUJER (Mujeres Por Justicia Educación y Reconocimiento), an organization working for justice and equality for women in Guatemala. Kerri Goodwin of the Oji-Cree Nation and an organizer with Mobilization Against War and Occupation, then gave an extremely moving presentation exposing the systemic attacks against Indigenous women in Canada, and the hope and alternative she saw in her travels to Cuba. The coalition’s central report for IWD 2008 was presented by Rosa Arteaga. She recognized the continuing oppression of poverty, exploitation, and violence women must face every day in Latin-America and around the world, but found hope in the past and present of women’s struggles. Nati Rosales, of the FMLN-Vancouver, continued the message of unity, emphasizing the struggle of women in El Salvador as the same struggle of women internationally. Tamara Hansen, coordinator of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba ( VCSC), then reflected on almost 50 years of gains for women in Cuba. Always a crowd favourite, “Mi Mexico” performed traditional Mexican and El Salvadorian dances, and Joaquin Ernesto, producer of Romantic Tango on 102.7 Co-Op Radio, celebrated the leadership of women around the world with a beautiful song. Co-Op radio was again represented when Alejandro Mujica Olea, producer of “El Mundo de la Poesia en un Café” who read poems from his many published books. To top off the poetry, April Desilets, an organizer with VCSC, read poems written by revolutionary women in Cuba. Gladys Uribe closed the evening with an incredible dance performance of “La Cueca Sola” – the dance which became a symbol of Chilean’s women’s resistance to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. As the event wrapped up everyone left with the chant, “Viva Las Mujeres” ringing in their ears and looked forward to another year of struggle and next year’s event to celebrate the gains of women.	Unite for Women’s Rights! Solidarity Coalition for a United Latin-America (SCULA) Celebrates International Woman’s Day Click on photos to enlarge