International Women's Day 2010 or Festa della Donna

Today is International Women's Day, a day to celebrate women's achievements worldwide. It is also a time to reflect on the struggle of many women and deciding what can be done to alleviate hardship and empower women to reach their potential. Find out more about the celebration here.
As I have noted before in previous posts on this subject, Festa della Donna is a big deal in Italy. It's a day to give and receive bright sprigs of yellow Mimosa here in Italy even if the view from Bella Baita, is far from springy this year. Our lamb like weather turned in to a lion yesterday dumping about 30 cm  (12") of fresh snow here on our hill as well as some over into Torino. A good day to play hooky and go catch some powder skiing...

Speaking of skiing, Lindsay Vonn and Julia Mancuso won coveted Olympic ski medals this year in Vancouver. Then we have the first women director who won an Oscar last night, an achievement long in it's coming, but glad for it's eventual arrival. There are, of course, many women bravely battling serious illness or struggling to makes ends meet for their families to thrive, these unsung heros, not to be forgotten. One of my personal favorite role models is  Italian centenarian Rita Levi- Montacino, a Nobel Laureate, who, along with Stanley Cohen, in 1986 received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of Nerve growth factor (NGF). This proud Torinese woman is inspiring even today with her grace and sharp mind.  I also think of all the women and men struggling to recover form the latest round of natural disasters, such as the Haitian and Chilean earthquakes as well as the Afgani women struggling against a lot of odds to flourish. It is  good day to celebrate our achievments it is also a good day to show solidarity for the human struggle for equality and dignity.  So here's a sprig of Mimosa for all of my fellow women of the world. I celebrate your struggles and achievements and thank you for your individaul and collective  inspiration. Hear Hear!