56th NGO CSW opening in New York!

Yesterday I attended 56th NGO CSW Forum.  My impressions are quite rich. The very first thing that struck me was the fact that venue was in a New York skyscraper--in the Salvation Army building which from inside was so similar to the atmosphere of the old Soviet Culture Center ("Dom kultury"): gray marble, small halls, registration tables covered with simple red and blue tablecloths , a large room with a stage, with red curtains and a piano, with wooden seats colored in red. There were no place for farce and pathos that people might expect from the events organized on the UN level. Everything was simple and family like. There were about 800 participants from all over the world, 99% were ladies. The average age of participants - 40-50 years. From organizational view point, I could feel a sense of chaos, and spontaneity. However, the energy of the event was so powerful that can not be described by any words- it should be once experienced. The Forum gathered so many unique, powerful, bright, talented, caring, energetic and passionate people that it was impossible to remain indifferent to what was going on and on. Each and every individual had their own history, story, experience, and knowledge to share. Moreover, the energy of the room was warmed up by such outstanding speakers as Ms. Michelle Bachelet, by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbovi, and by many other brave and dedicated women.

I left the forum tired, but inspired by such a great experience and a nice day!