Exhibition “1000 Women for Peace”

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of exhibition materials and press release; photo by Shahla Ismailova

The International Day of Peace, established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General assembly, was first inaugurated on the third Tuesday of September, 1982. Beginning on the 20-th anniversary in 2002, the UN general Assembly set 21 September as now a permanent date for the International Day of Peace, which is devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.

Exhibition
The exhibition in Baku was conducted within the series of events, organized by the Office of the Embassy of Switzerland, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Department of Public Information.

The opening ceremony of the 4 days exhibition (21-24 September) was held in the Museum center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The main purpose of this exhibition is to gather the pictures of 1000 women committed to promotion of peace through the world and raise public awareness on the remarkable action of women to produce a culture of peace within the framework of a network entitled “1000 Peace Women across the Globe”.

1000 Peace Women across the Globe
Peace Women across the Globe is an international network of women working in different fields of human security, joining forces to bring the knowledge and leadership of Peace Women to official decision-making arenas and to the attention of the public. The Peace Women Network builds its project upon the achievements of an international campaign effort – 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005. That project led to a historic collective nomination of 1000 women peace-builders from more than 150 countries for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.

Azerbaijan’s candidate
One woman from Azerbaijan was selected for 1000 Peace Women across the Globe – Elmira Suleymanova.

Elmira Suleymanova (born in 1937) is a multi-awarded chemist, who has not only distinguished herself in science but in public service as well. Elected by the Azerbaijan Parliament as Human Rights Commissioner in 2002, she has implemented programs that protect and improve the status of women and the elderly, displaced youth, the poor, and the victims of violence. she also established the Azerbaijan Women and Development Center (AWDC), the only women’s organization in the country in consultative status with the United Nations.