GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Office (ILO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are to host a range of events for International Women's Day on 8 March, including a round-table discussion on women in sports featuring international sports personalities and the presentation of the IOC's annual "Women in Sport" awards.
The round-table will feature internationally recognized women from the world of sports including Myriam Lamare of France, the current World Boxing Association light welterweight champion and Nawal El Moutawakel, the Moroccan Olympic gold medallist and current President of the IOC's Evaluation Commission for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The IOC's annual "Women in Sport" awards ceremony will also be held at the ILO in Geneva immediately following the round-table. These awards go to five women or men from five continents - Africa, Europe, America, Asia and Oceania - who have contributed to the development of women's sport in their countries. A sixth award is presented to the person who has made the same contribution on a global level. The winners, whose identities are kept secret until the day of the event, will be present to receive their awards.
In keeping with the ILO commitment to gender equality and the improvement of working conditions for women, the ILO celebrates International Women's Day each year by highlighting the role and/or achievements of women in a particular field of work.
The 3rd ILO International Film Festival on Women and Work will be held in Geneva from 6 to 10 March at the ILO Cinéma. Admission is free of charge and open to the public. The selected films portray women athletes from around the globe. They will be shown in their original language and subtitled in either English or French; please check schedules for information on subtitles. A list of films and the time they will be shown will be published on the ILO Web site and in local newspapers.
In addition, a special photography exhibition entitled "Women in Sport, Yesterday and Today", on loan from the International Olympic Museum in Lausanne, will be on display in the ILO colonnade from 6 to17 March.
Featured speakers:
Myriam Lamare: Born on 1 January 1975 at Saint-Denis (Seine Saint-Denis) in France, she began her boxing career at age 18. She lives in Marseille, France where she trains and works as a sports instructor for the city. After winning several European and world championships she made her professional debut on October 10, 2003 in Marseille and in 2004 became the World Boxing Association's light welterweight champion.
Nawal El Moutawakel: Born on 15 April 1962 in Casablanca, Morocco, she won the 400 meter hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Her medal was a breakthrough for sports women in Morocco and Africa. In 1995, she became a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and was elected to the IOC in 1998. In 2004 the President of the IOC appointed her to chair the IOC Evaluation Commission for the selection of the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games becoming the first woman to hold such a position.
Information for the media:
The event will be held in the ILO Governing Body room (level R-3) from 10 a.m. to 12:45. A media encounter with this year's special guests and award winners (interviews and photo opportunities) will take place following the event.
A video news release, as well as file footage and pre-recorded interviews with other women athletes, will be available from the ILO Radio & TV unit (+4122/799-6290).
Note: Journalists who wish to cover the round-table or participate in the media encounter with the guests must present an accreditation or press card and obtain a visitor's pass to enter the ILO building. Passes are available at the ILO media registration desk on level R-2 North.
For more information about the International Women's Day events or media activities, please visit the special web page on International Women's Day at www.ilo.org/communication or contact the ILO Department of Communication and Public Information at +4122/799-7912/7353 or e-mail communication@ilo.org.