This day became a day for women because of protests starting around the turn of the last century, 19th to 20th that is. These protests were often regarding working conditions and voting rights. (See wikipedia for info.)
The day was instated as IWD. In the 1920's marches and such petered out and it was not until the 1960's with the return of feminism that IWD was celebrated again.
Today it is a national holiday in some countries like Vietnam, Russia, Bulgaria, Moldovia, Belarus, Armenia...however not in "the West"!
Personally I understand and appreciate the importance and need for IWD, however I wish it were not the ONE day per year. Every day of every week and every month and every year is a day for all and every living being on this planet. Integration and interdependence is the key to life and to survival. We must put our minds and hearts and souls to this goal.
See
www.internationalwomensday.com for events in your part of the world.
Villa Lante in Bagnaia near Viterbo in Lazio. It is as you can see a formal Italian garden yet because of its many different levels this garden has many rooms. One with a maze, another with a "wild meadow", a small grove, a grotto and a cascading step waterfall fountain which is superb! It is a lovely oasis and very relaxing because it feels intimate and manageable, even though it has endless rooms. This is one of my Italian tesori!
Gustave Courbet After the Storm
Vielen Dank for sharing Etretat, in Normandie, France as one of your Tesori Johannes!
This took place at Monument , where Earl Grey stands on a pillar much like Nelson's at Trafalgar Square, in Newcastle city centre two years ago.
Juliette Binoche born in Paris in 1964.
Ornette Coleman born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1930. I love this guy!
Vita Sackville-West born in 1892.
Official portrait of the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin born today in 1934.
On April 12th 1961 Yuri bacame the first human to travel to space that we know of!
With Communism to the Stars!
A Welsh musician, songwriter and producer he is probably best known for his time with the Velvet Underground. However as a producer he has made a considerable contribution with debut albums by the Stooges, The Modern Lovers and Horses by Patti Smith, amongst many other projects over the years. Happy Birthday John Cale! I saw you in NYC at PS1 a a while ago and you were in top form. Thank you!
Born in 1945 he studied with Joseph Beuys in the 1970's. This painting is called Resurrection.
This is for Eleni Laperi a fabulous woman who runs Lindart a women's art center in Tirana.
Painter and poet Elise Asher died today in 2004 at age 92. She was married to Stanley Kunitz.
