International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. In 1911, following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.
A woman that has become an international symbol of peaceful resistance in the face of oppression is Aung San Suu Kyi. U2 dedicated her the song Walk On (from the album "All that you can`t leave behind) who was under house arrest for her pro-democracy activities. The album was banned in Burma. Democratic Voice of Burma correspondent Myint Maung Maung told British music magazine NME, "The album was banned because it includes a song, 'Walk On,' dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi and the democracy movement in Burma." When the album was released, U2.com had a page calling attention to the political situation in Burma, where they say 8 million people have been consigned to forced labor and half a million people are the target of ethnic cleansing campaigns.
Aung San Suu Kyi has become not only the face of Burma`s democracy but also of the fight for opression and injustice all over the world.
U2 supported her on their 2009 U2 360° Tour by encouraging fans to wear masks with her likeness on them during the band's performance of the song "Walk On", which was originally written for her, and in some cities they welcomed Amnesty International volunteers on stage again during the performance of the song, carrying lanterns in her tribute.
In November 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi was liberated after many years of house arrest. She is a
symbol of peaceful fight and people power. A woman to celebrate in Women´s day.
To read more about Aung San Suu Kyi : http://www.dassk.com/
Internatioal Women´s Day: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
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