These strengths are what Mary Evelyn
organizing Sophia fident in the fact that a small group of
Tucker believes make women ideal
2010, a women’s thoughtful people, looking to advance
candidates for leading the way in com-
world conference social development, gender equal-
munity development and caring for the
convening in Sofia, ity and wisdom can lead the way to
environment.
Bulgaria, in 2010. change, through courage, commitment
“Women have a deep spiritual sen-
The event will and activism.
sibility, a humility that allows them to
highlight for the
sense that they are a part of nature and Margaret Wheatley
world successful Writer Linda Sechrist recently returned
not apart from it,” says Tucker, co-
approaches to achieving global goals of from the 53rd session of The Com-
founder of the Forum on Religion and
improving social conditions, preserving mission on the Status of Women, the
Ecology. “This experiential connection
nature and celebrating universal spiritu- principal global policy-making body
creates the link between religion and
ality. This groundbreaking international of the United Nations Economic and
ecology.” Activist stories featured in
forum is the brainchild of women con- Social Council.
Renewal, a documentary film that high-
lights several grassroots environmental
initiatives led by women, supports this.
Tucker’s international, multi-religious
project explores religious worldviews,
texts and ethics in order to broaden un-
derstanding of human-Earth relations.
Enlightened leaders agree that
women’s strengths, among them re-
lationship building, story sharing and
community organizing, are urgently
needed in today’s world.
Margaret Wheatley, author of Turning
to One Another, believes that when we
begin to truly listen to each other and talk
about things that matter to us, the world
begins to change. “There is no power
greater than a community discovering
what it cares about,” asserts Wheatley,
whose experience confirms that “Change
only comes when everyday individuals
gather in small groups, notice what they
care about and then, take those first
steps to change the situation.”
“Real listening is a
willingness to let the other
person change you.”
~ Alan Alda
In 2000, at the start of a weeklong
conference to review progress made
since the Fourth World Conference
on Women, in Beijing in 1995, former
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
boldly declared, “The future of the
planet depends on women.” Another
grassroots group of women are among
those now taking the first steps on
the journey to a peaceful, prosperous
and sustainable future for all. They are
May 2009 23
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