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Festa della Donna - International Women’s Day by Antonia Conti

March 8th marks International Women’s Day (IWD). Although labeled an international celebration, it is neither celebrated nor widely recognized internationally. It is nevertheless an important day (especially here in Italy) for women’s rights. In Italian, it is translated as “Festa della Donna” – literally the Party of the Woman. There are a few theories that speculate its starting point.

One theory suggests that the IWD is a commemoration of an industrial fire disaster that happened in 1911 in a New York City factory (the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory). The incident took the lives of nearly 150 people—approximately 30% of the company’s employees that where for the most part women. However, on taking a closer look, the fire actually happened on March 25th, not the 8th—and therefore, skeptics argue its verity.

birou notar
program amanet
arhiva de garantii reale
calculul greutatii
cargill cereale
dacia double cab
test evaluare
ingineria iluminatului
impresariat artistic dansatoare
pensiuni lacul rosu
loteria spaniola
mesaje de amor
moteluri buzau
organizarea activitatii
marinata de peste
remorca salonta
rezerve de lux
sistemul sanitar
sisteme sonorizare
tamplarie iasi
teatru comedie
topograf bucuresti
unelte manuale
filmul vocea inimi
tractoare agricole

Another theory suggests that the holiday began after a march for women’s suffrage was held on March 8th in 1908. More than 15,000 women gathered together and marched through New York City demanding improved social, political, and economic rights. Again this theory cannot be corroborated.

As it turns out, Festa della Donna or IWD was officially started not in 1908 but rather 2 years later, in 1910, by a German socialist, Clara Zetkin and in fact was celebrated on the 23rd of February. It wasn’t until some years later that the date of the celebration was changed to March 8th.

Zetkin proposed the idea for an international celebration dedicated to women during a Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. Similarly there were already ideas for a Women’s Day celebration being explored in America by The Socialist Party of America.

During World War I, International Women’s Day was used to protest against the war and for peace. By then International Women’s Day was already wide-spread, evidenced by the thousands of Russian women that flooded the towns and streets of Petrograd demonstrating their sentiments. It was only after the second world war that the Italian Women’s Union—Unione Donne Italiane—recognized March 8th as La Festa della Donna, hence adapting it as an Italian national celebration.

Today in Italy, La Festa della Donna is a widely celebrated with the traditional giving of the mimosa flower. This brightly colored yellow flower is given as an expression of appreciation and respect. Here in Florence, don’t be surprised to see women walking around town with mimosa flowers in hand, pinned to their clothes, or even in their hair. While it is customary for family and friends to give the flowers to the women in their lives, many businesses and restaurants also take part in the celebration and gracefully give a branch of mimosa to the women they encounter throughout the day. It is a nice token of appreciation, and a kind reminder of the true power of all females—mother, daughter, sister, friend.

The real party begins in the evening when groups of girls go out for dinner and drinks with their female friends. It is a night when men can only be spectators!!! Aside from the cheesy nightclubs and bars that organize male strippers and other such shows, there will be special offers everywhere for girls. Free entry, free champagne, free mimosa flowers…. Take advantage ladies because Florence is not normally so female friendly!!!

We will be celebrating our femaleness at Twenty-One DiscoBar (Via Cimatori 13R near Piazza della Signoria). Saturday the 8th of March from 10pm onwards it will be all about the woman. See you there.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm and is filed under Girls Days Out, Italian Culture, Special Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

4 Responses to “Festa della Donna - International Women’s Day by Antonia Conti”

Giulietta Says:
February 27th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Power to the woman!!
Lee Ann Says:
February 27th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
You go Girl!
Jennifer Says:
March 5th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
How I miss Italy! Auguri! –a bit early, but…
oscaradha Says:
March 8th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
wow… i like MIMOSA

i hope someday i can go to ITALY n see that pretty flower

Festa della Donna - International Women’s Day by Antonia Conti

4 Responses to “Festa della Donna - International Women’s Day by Antonia Conti”

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