WAKSAW Aims to Bridge Urban Women Leaders with Rural Entrepreneurs in the Catalysts of Change Event in New York
WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance, a non-profit organization founded by Yali Xuan to preserve and illuminate Asian Buddhism civilization, recently participated in a United Nations CSW68 Parallel Event in New York City, New York, entitled ‘Catalysts of Change – Fostering Female Leadership in Rural Revitalization’.
The 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) was held March 11-22, 2024, at the UN headquarters with a theme of “Addressing poverty through a gender lens, strengthening institutions and financing to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. Among the 6000 governmental and non-governmental representatives from around the world included bhikkhunis and members of the international Buddhist organization Fo Guang Shan.
UN data cites that 10.3% of women globally live in extreme poverty today and that $360 billion per year is critical for gender equality and empowering women in global goals including eradicating poverty and hunger.
The WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance works to demonstrate the powerful influence of Asian Buddhism and amplify Asian Buddhism heritage, spirit, and cultural roots through archaeological preservation and education that bridges the past to the present. This is carried out through a variety of initiatives including archaeological excavations, research and analysis, collaboration with academic institutions, community outreach and education, cultural exchange programs, preservation and conservation, funding and grants, policy advocacy, and many other key action items.
One way in which h WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance is inspiring people around the world is through Buddhism civilization excavations taking place in Swat, Pakistan. This place was once a mecca for Buddhist learning and culture and featured a Buddhist temple dated at being 2200 years old. The discovery of a Buddhist temple in this area was deemed a Top 10 Discovery in 2022. Now, WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance continues to forge ahead and give people around the world a glimpse into ancient Buddhism civilization.
‘Catalysts of Change – Fostering Female Leadership in Rural Revitalization’ was held in parallel to the 68th session of the United States National Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW68) to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) #4 (quality education), #11 (sustainable cities and communities), #13 (climate action), #15 (life on land), and #17 (partnerships for the goals). ‘Catalysts of Change’ was sponsored by the Woodenfish Foundation, WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance, and the Pakistan Council for Social Welfare and Human Rights.
Ms. Yali Xuan, founder of WAKSAW Archaeological Alliance and Middle East Coordinator of Bricks Committee for International Cooperation in Culture and Art, announced the Her Power initiative and discussed the critical role and impact of female leadership in rural communities to encourage event attendees to engage with the initiative to drive global change.
The Her Power initiative is spearheaded by a coalition of esteemed organizations, including WAKSAW, Woodenfish Foundation, and Zhenrui Cultural Education Fund, to address systemic barriers hindering the progress of women, especially those in rural areas. The vision of the initiative is to create a world where women, irrespective of their geographical or socio-economic background, have equal opportunities to contribute to and benefit from economic, social, and cultural development. It aims to build bridges between urban business leaders and rural women entrepreneurs, facilitating access to education, vocational training, and business opportunities. Through innovative partnerships and a focus on corporate social responsibility, Her Power seeks to empower women to transition from local to global stages, thereby fostering a diverse and inclusive new commercial society.
To achieve this, the initiative seeks to establish service centers in over one hundred countries to engage stakeholders in creating a community of female leaders who help each other overcome challenges and seize advancement opportunities to ensure the prosperity of all women.
During the day’s events, guests participated in a workshop for leadership skills for rural impact and two panel discussions on breaking barriers in rural leadership.
Her Excellency Kitoko Gata Ngoulou, the Ambassador of the Republic of Chad to the U.S., underscored the critical role of leadership skills and women’s empowerment in rural areas as pivotal for innovation and economic growth in her speech. She advocates for tailored educational programs that leverage digitalization, aiming to transform rural communities into thriving societies through the education and leadership of women.
During the roundtables, Dr. Yifa, founder of Woodenfish Foundation and Harvard researcher led discussions on addressing challenges and opportunities for women in rural areas and breaking barriers in rural leadership. The discussion featured a variety of facilitators speaking on a diverse range of issues that included insights from royal families, religious leaders, and global peace advocates.
Danilo Parmegiani, Executive Director of the Legion of Goodwill, emphasized the importance of establishing support centers in urban areas to empower and protect community members through foundational services such as education and job training. He highlighted the necessity of creating a solidarity network, supported by donations from individuals and groups, to overcome the challenges of delivering services to remote areas. William Woo, an entrepreneur and former City Councilor in New Jersey, highlights the significant contributions of women in organizations and advocates for authenticity, positive energy, empathy, and compassion as essential qualities for inspiring change and impacting future generations beyond mere profit and loss considerations.
The day concluded with closing remarks from Daoming Wan, co-founder of WAKSAW, who summarized insights from the day, followed by time for photos, lunch, and networking.
Video available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__pDt0Aq8sg. More information can be found at https://www.waksaw.org/.
ABOUT WAKSAW-UDDIYANA ARCHAEOLOGICAL ALLIANCE
The WAKSAW-Uddiyana Archaeological Alliance is a 501(3)c non-profit organization on a mission to unearth, interpret, and preserve ancient Buddhism civilization artifacts around the world. Follow on Twitter/X: @waksaworg and Instagram: @waksawarchaeology
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