From rxpgnews.com
Four stamps, a song and a flag in celebration of Women's Day
By IANS,
Mar 5, 2007 - 8:27:15 PM
New Delhi, March 5 - Week-long celebrations to mark International Women's Day March 8 were kicked off here by Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury.
Supported by other organizations like Unicef, United Nations Development Fund for Women -, Centre for Women's Development Studies -, Hunger Project and the Apollo Hospital, the celebrations will be a salutation to women.
'For the first time a combined effort has been made for woman empowerment all across the country. And through these celebrations we want a collective attention towards the plight of women both in rural as well as urban areas,' said Renuka Chowdhury, in a press meet held in the capital today.
The highlight of the celebrations will be the unveiling of the flag by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and women of village panchayats tomorrow.
'We did a lot of brain storming and came up with this flag which symbolizes life and women's empowerment. Only women will be entitled to hoist this flag and it will be her identity,' Chowdhury said.
The flag will be hoisted on March 8. Other than that, a song has also been written for this occasion. With the main theme of women marching forward despite the odds, this song will be translated into regional languages.
Noted artist Paresh Maity's wife Joyshree Barman, also an artist, has designed four stamps for this occasion as well. The first day covers of these stamps will be released on women's day by the vice president of India.
The foundation stone of a 520-seater hostel for working women from the north east will be laid at Jasola in south Delhi on that day.
A film festival, called Ananya Festival, which would showcase films centred around women, is also a part of the celebrations. Discounts as much as 80 percent on health check-ups will be offered by the Apollo Hospitals for the benefit of women.
'We salute women and are trying our best to do everything that we can for their upliftment,' Chowdhury said.
The minister said the media should help curb eve teasing by printing the face of the teaser in the newspaper. 'They should be punished. That's our right as the eve!' she said amid peals of laughter.
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