BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the UK and Europe observed the UN’s International Women’s Day with an inspiring conference in 20 centres around the region.
Titled ‘Celebrating Women: Save, Sustain & Shine’, the conference celebrated the achievements of women and provided them with new skills, values and motivation to excel in their personal and professional lives.
International Women’s Day (IWD), which falls annually on 8 March, was ratified by the United Nations in 1977 to honour the significant contributions of women throughout the course of history.
BAPS’s observance formed many of the thousands of events held throughout the world to celebrate women and marked the 13th anniversary of the celebrations organised by BAPS in the UK. This year’s celebrations were particularly noteworthy as they provided an opportunity to gather in-person for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The conference focussed on three key themes – saving and budgeting, ways in which women can contribute to a sustainable environment, and finding time to develop knowledge and skills to achieve personal excellence. Rena Amin, a lead volunteer for BAPS in the UK, explained, “The programmes have empowered women to feel motivated to commit time for personal development and, in turn, enrich communities and protect the environment, as well as equipping them with the tools to overcome current challenges that women are facing across the country.”
These themes were artfully conveyed through a series of video presentations, cultural performances, panel discussions, and addresses by esteemed guests who shared their inspiring testimonies and experiences.
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha’s celebration of IWD represents its on-going commitment to women and matters of importance to women, as inspired and guided by BAPS’s spiritual leader, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.
Please click the thumbnails below to see galleries of the respective events.