Look Who's Energizing the Global Women's Movement

Sunday, March 3, 2013 kicked off the 57^th CSW and Lehigh University was there. It is a high energy event that strives to connect people. This year’s focus is ending violence against women and girls worldwide. Amazing activists and leaders from around the world stood strong and presented problems in their countries and ways their NGOs are striving to rectify these massive issues of violence toward women. The dents made by these relentless women (and men) in the pursuit of peace are simply invigorating.

I volunteered at this event along with other Lehigh students and was able to meet and greet the participants to enter the Armenian Convention Center. As we were waiting to open, conversations transpired with some of the women in line. One group from San Francisco was particularly loquacious. They gave away buttons that read 5WCW, a reference to the 5th World Conference on Women, and they were giving away a book titled, Moving Toward The Millionth Circle, Energizing the Global Women’s Movement. When I finally sat down, I began skimming through the book and I liked what I read.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell is about the conception that if an idea is presented often enough, even in small ways, change happens and when it does, it seems to happen very quickly. It’s the point where things spread like an epidemic. The ideas in Moving Toward the Millionth Circle remind me of Gladwell’s book. The author uses the “millionth circle” as a way of depicting the connections we need to nourish and grow until we have reached the tipping point and a new era can begin without violence.  To quote the author, “Everyone who has been drawn to the idea of “the millionth circle” is part of the millionth circle vision, and any event or circle that anyone creates that furthers the formation of more circles with a sacred center can freely define what they are doing as being part of the millionth circle movement.” – www.millionthcircle.org.

By the time I neared the end of the book, curiosity about the author had set in. I was surprised to see a photo in the back of the book of the very same woman that I met that morning. Jean Shinoda Bolen M.D. is the author of Moving Toward the Millionth Circle.  She is the author of this book and many others and she is the woman behind the movement to connect women globally in order to achieve the tipping point where women everywhere are living inspired lives leaning on each other for support. It was an honor to be in the company of this great woman and others like her. It is at events such as CSW that we are moving toward our millionth circle. 

                                

                                                                                  

  Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. (left) is a Permanent Representative to the UN and the author of Moving Toward the Millionth Circle.  www. jeanbolen.com