Rio de Janeiro pays homage to women who made and still make history
March 9th, 2009
The photo exhibition: “WOMEN WHO MADE AND STILL MAKE HISTORY” was the final act of the event in homage of women, on their International women’s day. The event was promoted by AMISRAEL – the Messenger of Peace, the Parliamentary front Brazil Israel and by the Jerusalem Cultural Center and it was aimed at reaffirming the importance of women in several contexts and to show their engagement and growth.
WOMEN WHO MADE AND STILL MAKE HISTORY
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As the host of the event, Jerusalem Cultural Center received several distinguished visitors, such as: Mrs. Benedita da Silva, State Secretary of Social Assistance and Human Rights of Rio de Janeiro, the first black woman to achieve a post in the Brazilian Senate and in the Ministry of Social Action; Léa Lozinsky, president of the Israeli Federation of Rio de Janeiro (FIERJ) and the first woman to ever run a Jewish community in the world; Lieutenant Colonel Ana Cláudia Ciciliano, the woman with the highest rank in the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro (PMRJ); Mrs. Ana Júlia Gonzaga de Oliveira, inspector from the Women’s Police Station and Dr. Rosana Lopes, Women’s Counselor.
Celebrities from the artistic world were also present, such as the Israeli singer Varda Usíglio, Baby do Brasil and Adriana Ferreira, from Line Records, the actor and TV showman Carlos Machado and the actress Lady Francisco and paid their homage to women of all social classes who embrace their mission with grace and courage.
Congressman Jodenir Soares (PTdoB)
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The president of the NGO “Mulher que faz” *, Mrs. Sylvia Jane Crivela, wife of Senator Marcelo Crivela, and the vice-president of this organization, the TV show woman Eliane Ovalhe, were also present at the event, along with Mrs. Suely Amaral, the sub secretary of the Municipal Secretary for Social Development and other women who write history in the country.
Bishop Jerônimo Alves, president of the Universal Church, highlighted the importance of the women in the struggle for peace throughout history and also in the present days. He also expressed his admiration for Mrs. Benedita da Silva, who opened her speech singing a cappella. Congressman and Bishop Jodenir Soaresgave flower for each women being honored and restated what Bishop Jerônimo had said in his speech.
The representative of AMISRAEL in Rio de Janeiro, Juliana Malafaia, said that being to celebrate this day shows something about the situation of women not so long ago: distinguished, distant and smothered. Although we cannot say it has all been overcome, we can celebrate a change in the way today’s society thinks.
Léa Lozinsky, the president of FIERJ, told the public about how touched she was that the event had coincided with Purim celebrations, considered the happiest day in the Jewish calendar.
She spoke about the Purim party base don the book of Esther, and the told the story of Haman, the villain who devised a plan to annihilate the Jewish from Persia. Through a complex sequence of events, Queen Esther, who was Jewish, and her adoptive father, Mordechai, managed to intervene directly with the king and avoid the destruction of the Jewish people. From then on, this day was declared the Purim holiday, one more example of WOMEN WHO MADE AND STILL MAKE HISTORY.
Text: AMISRAEL Brasil
English Version: Patrícia Mamede
* Translator’s note: the name of the NGO is a Brazilian idiomatic expression which means “Women of action”, “women who do things”.
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Benedita da Silva - State Secretary of Social Assistance and Human Rights of Rio de Janeiro |
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Ana Julia – Civil Police Inspector |
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Juliana Malafaia
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Lea Lozinsky – President of FIERJ |
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