International Women’s Day Luncheon Celebration
Women’s Federation for World Peace Canada’s 19th International Women’s Day Luncheon Celebration was held on Saturday March 22, 2025 at the Crystal Grand Banquet Hall in Mississauga in collaboration with the Mississauga Monarch Lions Club. A panel of five outstanding women spoke on the theme of the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women (CSW 69) “Accelerate Action for all Women and Girls: Empowerment, Equality and Rights,” including the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, Dame Linda Pinizzotto, Karlene A. Millwood, Erin Riley-Oettl and Alfredine Plourde.
Over the afternoon, inspiring thoughts intertwined with uplifting poetry and musical interludes were shared:
“The fact that if women ruled the world, we would not have wars, we would not have conflicts because women think first of families, women think of communities and there’s all kinds of research that shows that money in a woman's hand…what it does for the family and for the community. It also shows that an educated woman makes better decisions around a whole lot of issues, including spacing of the children, education of the children.”
Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine
“Every small act in your everyday life can be a disruption and you can change and advance human rights.”
Erin Riley-Oettl
“I think of what the world could be A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take A million dreams for the world we're gonna make” ~ A Million Dreams; Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Ziv Zaifma
“When your dreams come alive you're unstoppable
Take the shot, chase the sun, find the beautiful
We will glow in the dark turning dust to gold
And we'll dream it possible” ~ Dream it Possible; Delacey
~ Oh, Canada ~ Riptide; Vance Joy
Mee Young Gabriel Musical Performances
“You can learn. It's that simple. You have to believe in yourself, listen to your heart and your mind, it all comes together. If you believe in something strong enough you're going to be able to move forward and accomplish an incredible amount of things, because of the things that you believe in.”
Dame Linda Pinizotto
“Encouraging women to be limitless…Today I stand before you as an individual with a personal story of struggle and triumph. My journey began with a simple and profound act of saying no. I grew up in a developing nation, shaped by the legacies of colonialism and systematic inequality that left a shadow on my identity. That realization was the beginning of my struggle to regain the authentic me, as a woman, to be treated with respect and to be valued for who I am.”
Karlene A. Millwood
In her concluding remarks, President Lilly Tadin reminded participants about WFWPI's vision, echoing Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s words: “The world of the future can be one of reconciliation and peace, but only if built on the maternal love and affection of women. The time has come for the true power of womanhood to save the world.”
Lilly then posed a question: “What are the voices of the next generation—the women of tomorrow?” She reminded participants to honor the achievements of past women who paved the way and emphasized that the future belongs to those who dare to dream even bigger.
A Special Thank You:
MCS: Eveline Stewart & Khalilah M. Campbell
Technical Team: Ryan Abenir & Koshin Young
Photographer: Edmond Young
Donors: Kimiko Cunningham, Yuko Masciotra, Reiko Martinez, Angela Essop, & Diane Dixon
Planning Team: Lilly Tadin, Eveline Stewart, Khalilah M. Campbell, Finsherie Bila, Jane Gabriel, Domelyne Tuscano, Yulia Tarasova, & Irene Paghubasan