Research shows that high heels can be traced back to ancient Egypt. In the middle of the second millennium BC, Egyptians began to frequently use sandals. Retention was obtained generally by the Egyptians by a T or V thong passing through the sole. Egyptian butchers also wore heeled shoes for practical purposes, that is, in order to keep their feet clean of any blood while slaughtering animals.
Things started to change when during the European renaissance, the high heel became a status symbol worn by both male and females from the higher social statuses.
Catherine de Medici a Franco/Italian noblewomen pioneered the use of heels as a fashion statement. Catherine de Medici is believed to have worn them to impress the French court when she wed the Duke of Orleans, the future king. It is believed to be the first instance when heels were worn however, this reference may be apocryphal, as the development of heels did not begin to come about until the late 1580s, based on iconographic evidence and extant pieces. Two hundred years later King Louis XIV of France decreed that only nobility could wear heels, and that only members of his specific court could wear red ones. Seventeenth-century portraits of King Louis XIV depict the various intricate heels worn by the king and they were often decorated with miniature battle scenes.
In terms of design, high heels can be seen with plain construction or with embellishment. Depending on the design concept, embellishment materials include leather, wood, metal chain, plastic appliqués, lace, and others. The majority of embellishments are for aesthetic purposes. The rest are for functional support.
High heels have caused significant controversy in the medical field lately, with many podiatrists seeing patients whose severe foot problems have been caused almost exclusively by high-heel wear.
Cuban heels were first widely popularized by Beatle boots (variant of the Chelsea boot), as worn by the English rock group the Beatles during their introduction to the United States.
Mongolian horsemen were among the first to use heels as means to keep their feet from sliding out of their stirrups. Actors playing tragic roles in ancient Greek drama wore the buskin, a boot with a platform sole, designed to give them greater height over other actors.
American cowboy boots, first developed in the 19th century and still popular today in some parts of the United States, have high underslung heels to keep a rider's foot from sliding through the stirrup. High-heeled platform shoes were a widely popular form of men's footwear during the 1970s.
High-heeled shoes slant the foot forward and down while bending the toes up. The more the feet are forced into this position, the more it may cause the gastrocnemius muscle (part of the calf muscle) to shorten. This may cause problems when the wearer chooses lower heels or flat-soled shoes. When the foot slants forward, a much greater weight is transferred to the ball of the foot and the toes, increasing the likelihood of damage to the underlying soft tissue that supports the foot. In many shoes, style dictates function, either compressing the toes or forcing them together, possibly resulting in blisters, corns, hammer toes, bunions (hallux valgus), Morton's neuroma, plantar fasciitis and many other medical conditions, most of which are permanent and require surgery to alleviate the pain.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed the department order on Friday, 25 August 2017, following a call from a labor union against the dress code that puts at risk the occupational safety of working women.
Philippines is the first country in Asia to ban the mandatory wearing of high heels in the workplace.
Types of heels found on high-heeled footwear include:
Cone - A round heel that is broad where it meets the sole of the shoe and noticeably narrower at the point of contact with the ground. It is closed on the front back and sides.
Kitten - A short, slim heel with maximum height under 2 inches (5 cm) and diameter of no more than 0.4 inch (1 cm) at the point of contact with the ground.
Prism - Three flat sides that form a triangle at the point of contact with the ground.
Puppy - Thick square block heel with approximately 2 inches (5 cm) length in all dimensions.
Spool or Louis - Broad where it meets the sole and at the point of contact with the ground; noticeably narrower at the midpoint between the two.
Stiletto - A tall, slim heel with minimum height of 2 inches (5 cm) and diameter of no more than 0.4 inch (1 cm) at the point of contact with the ground.
Wedge - Occupies the entire space under the arch and heel portions of the foot.
Viennese - The heel is longer than the shoe itself and is impossible to walk on, only found on fetish shoes, just for sitting or lying down.
Hayden Panettiere was born on 21 August 1989 in Palisades, New York, USA.
Her parents are both of half Italian descent (her father's father and her mother's mother were both the children of Italian immigrants). Hayden's other roots include German and English. Her parents are Lesley R. Vogel who was a former soap opera actress and Alan Lee "Skip" Panettiere who was a fire captain.
Her younger brother is Jansen Panettiere.
Her last name is pronounced "Pan-Hey-Tee-Air" and is the Italian translation of "Baker".
Panettiere first appeared in commercials at the age of 11 months, beginning with an advertisement for a Playskool toy train
In 2004, Panettiere had her first starring role in the Disney Channel film Tiger Cruise.
Panettiere made her feature film debut with 1998's A Bug's Life,[15] but her first film to actually be released was the same year's The Object of My Affection, in which she appears briefly as a mermaid in the school play in the opening scene.
Panettiere's first single, "Wake Up Call", was digitally released on August 5, 2008.
She is the second-ever recipient of The Wyler Award (which honors a celebrity who has raised awareness of animal issues) for her on-the-ground work to expose Japan's slaughter of dolphins.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 25, a daughter named Kaya Evdokia Klitschko on 9 December 2014 andChild's father is fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko.
In November 2007, she was awarded the "Compassion in Action Award" from the animal rights group PETA for her efforts to stop the dolphin hunt in Japan.
In September 2008, Panettiere launched her own line of calfskin leather bags for the company Dooney & Bourke.
Iza Calzado was born on 12 August 1982 in Quezon City, Philippines.
Her birth name is Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado.
Her father is the reknowned choreographer and TV director, Lito Calzado and her mother was the late Mary Ann "Antonia" Ussher who was a Spanish-Filipina ancestry. Her father married her stepmother Myrna after the latter passed away.
She has a brother named Dash who is a member of a Filipino rap group, Legit Misfitz.
Iza Calzado spent her elementary days at School of the Holy Spirit; her high school years in Miriam College; and took up an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas.
Iza Calzado was a voice dubber for the Venezuelan telenovela, "Mis 3 Hermanas" known as "All My Love" in the Philippines, before she became known in the movie industry.
Iza Calzado starred in her first soap opera, "Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man" with Argentinean actor, Segundo Cernadas, as her partner.
In 2010, Iza Calzado made her first two-piece bikini TV appearance in the TV series, "Beauty Queen" with TJ Trinidad as her leading man.
Her first TV comedy show was in GMA's "I Heart You, Pare!" and her last appearance in GMA was in the TV sitcom, "Andres de Saya". She was in GMA from 2001 to 2011.
She appeared in her first TV drama series in ABS-CBN's "Kahit Puso'y Masugatan". She is currently an ABS-CBN contract star which started on 2012.
She won her first "Best Supporting Actress" award from the 28th Gawad Urian Awards in 2004 for her role in the movie "Milan" with a total of 11 wins and 13 nominations showing her prowess as an actress.
The 2017 movie "Bliss" was her first ever X-rated film as reviewed by the MTRCB.
Jennylyn Anne Pineda Mercado was born on 15 May 1987 and grew up in Parañaque City.
Jennylyn Mercado was the First female winner of Starstruck Season 1 (2003) of GMA network.
She is the niece of television reporter, Abner Mercado. Her cousins are Cherie Mercado (news and radio anchor for News5), Charee Pineda, and Eliza Pineda who both work for the ABS-CBN channel.
Mercado's life story was featured in the weekly drama anthology Magpakailanman on October 14, 2004. She is now the official spokesperson of the Bata Foundation (Christian Mission Services), a non-government organization.
In 2008, at age 21, Mercado announced that she was pregnant. Her ex-boyfriend Patrick Garcia distanced himself upon learning of her pregnancy, was announced as the father of her child. On August 16, 2008, she gave birth to her child, a son, via Caesarian section.
She works with the Philippine women's organization GABRIELA.
She is also an aspiring triathlete for engaging in sporting activities. She took jujitsu and Muay Thai lessons in her free time. "They built up my muscles. I looked heavy onscreen," Jennylyn recounted. "I realized that I needed cardio exercises to slim down." She discovered running and biking, which soon led her to join duothlon competitions in Alabang and Laguna. She is also a diver to inspire people to be environment friendly.
Mercado started as a recording artist with Alpha Records in 1999 through the recommendation of her voice coach, Susanna Pichay. She was in Nonoy Tan's singing group, G4. Unfortunately the group never released an album because two of the four members dropped out.
She released her first album, Living the Dream, containing original compositions by Vehnee Saturno, and a carrier single titled "Kahit Sandali". In May 2006, Mercado released her second album Letting Go which included the single "Sa Aking Panaginip" by Vehnee Saturno. Her first major concert was held on May 15, 2006, at the Music Museum in Greenhills. In January 2010, under VIVA Records, she released her third album, Love Is... Jennylyn Mercado. Due to her popularity, she held a birthday concert at the Music Museum, titled I Am Woman in May 2009. The concert was sold-out.
Her first films included So Happy Together and the teen-flick Let the Love Begin but her most acclaimed film performance was a Filipino period piece, Rosario.
In 2015, after Mercado's box office hit English Only, Please with actor Derek Ramsay in 2014, she was awarded as the MMFF 2014 Best Actress for the recently concluded film festival.
A few months later Mercado finally grabbed her first win for the controversial FHM Philippines' 100 Sexiest Woman after beating Andrea Torres and Ellen Adarna, after Marian Rivera (which excluded on the list along with Rookies Tricia Santos and China Roces) vactates the title. Before she leaves Philippines for New York for PreNup film with Sam Milby, publisher Aeus Reyes and Allan Altera with GMA News reporter Nelson Canlas surpries Mercado and give a plaque. And finally on July 11, Mercado ramps for the two part FHM 100 Sexiest party at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia.
Former Miss Bikini Philippines 2016 crown-holder, Christine Opiaza, passed her crown to the new Miss Bikini Philippines 2017 winner, Fil-Aussie Natalie Lane. Nineteen-year-old Australian-Filipina make-up artist won the grand prize besting other Top 25 finalists at the Newport Theater of Resort’s World Manila.
The 1st Runner-Up, was Bridgitte Mercene who won Php 200,000.00 cash and prizes and the 2nd Runner-up was Alexxa Fajardo, with a Php150,000.00 cash and prizes.
The final one who captivated the hearts and minds of the judges was Filipina-Australian Natalie Lane taking home the grand prize of Miss Bikini Philippines 2017 and was given Php 300,000.00 cash and prizes with a secured slot representing the country in the ‘Top Model of the World 2017’ in Egypt.
Gal Gadot-Varsano (Hebrew: גל גדות, pronounced [ˈɡal ɡaˈdot]; born 30 April 1985) and raised in Rosh HaAyin, Israel.
In Hebrew, her first name means "wave" and her surname means "riverbanks".
Her first name is pronounced like ''doll''.
She is the daughter of Irit (née Weiss), a teacher, and Michael Gadot, an engineer.
At the age of 18, Gadot won the 2004 Miss Israel competition, and next competed in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant in Ecuador. won the Miss Israel title in 2004, and represented Israel at the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant.
She served for two years as sports trainer in the Israeli Defense Forces.
Gadot married Israeli real estate developer Yaron Varsano on 28 September 2008 and they have two daughters, her 1st child at age 26, a daughter named Alma Versano in November 2011, and her 2nd child at age 31, a daughter named Maya Versano in March 2017.
The couple owned a luxury hotel in the Neve Tzedek district of Tel Aviv, which they sold to Roman Abramovich in 2015 for $26 million.
She is the first non-American actress to play Diana Princess/Wonder Woman.
She is an avid motorcycle rider and owns a black 2006 Ducati Monster-S2R.
She is the first actress to portray Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in a live-action theatrical film. Lynda Carter only performed the role for television.
In 2016, Wonder Woman played by Gadot (along with Lynda Carter) was named an Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women & Girls by the United Nations. Subsequently, Gadot was invited to give a speech at the UN in New York City.
Jessica Marie Alba was born on 28 April 1981, in Pomona, California to Catherine (Jensen) and Mark David Alba, who served in the US Air Force.
Her father's family is Mexican, while her mother has Danish, Welsh, German, English, Scottish, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), and French ancestry. A DNA test taken on the television series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) described Jessica as being of 72.7% European, 22.5% Native (Indigenous Mexican, including Mayan), 2% Sub-Saharan African, 0.3% Middle Eastern/North African, and 0.1% South Asian, ancestry, with an additional 2.4% for which there was no match. Her father's direct matrilineal line was also traced to distant Sephardi Jewish ancestry.
Has a tattoo of a daisy with a ladybug on it on the back of her neck.
Her second cousin is skateboarding legend Steve Alba (aka "Salba").
As a child, she was diagnosed with asthma and ADHD. She still takes Ritalin for her ADHD as an adult.
Has two pug dogs, named Nancy and Sid.
Loves to cook. Her specialty is chicken enchiladas and homemade tortillas.
Loves Harley Davidson motorcycles.
She has the Sankskrit word for "lotus" tattooed on the inside of her wrist.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 27, a daughter named Honor Marie Warren on 7 June 2008. Child's father is her husband, Cash Warren.
Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 30, a daughter named Haven Garner Warren on 13 August 2011. Child's father is her husband, Cash Warren.
Co-founder, with Christopher Gavigan, of "The Honest Company", which makes chemical-free products, like diapers.
Locsin was born on 23 April 1985 in Santa Maria, Bulacan and has lived with her father, Angelo Colmenares, and has had no contact with her mother since the age of 14.
She studied at St James College in Quezon City for her primary education and finished high school at the University of Santo Tomas High School in Manila.
In August 2007, she attended a short-course for fashion design at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.
Despite being of Christian faith, she is a part of a Muslim Royal Family in Marawi City in the province of Lanao del Sur through her mother.
Locsin was discovered at a shopping center by a talent scout and then auditioned for several commercials and was supposed to be a part of ABS-CBN's Star Circle Batch 9, but failed to sign a contract because her father opposed the idea.
Later, she became a contract star of GMA Artist Center, first appearing on the second season of the teen-oriented series, Click and was also included in the cast of Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw.
She came to prominence for her television roles as Alwina in the 2004 fantasy-themed television series Mulawin and as the superheroine Darna in the TV adaptation of the Mars Ravelo comics.
Locsin's first film appearance was in 2000 via Ping Lacson Supercop, wherein she played the role of a young Robina Gokongwei.
Locsin was a contract artist of GMA Network up to early 2007 until she transferred to its rival network, ABS-CBN.
She later on starred in blockbuster films In The Name Of Love and One More Try for which she garnered critical acclaim for both performances earning her the Star Award for Movies for Movie Actress of the Year and the Box-Office Entertainment Award for Film Actress of the Year, winning both awards two consecutive years.
In 2013, she won the FAMAS Award and the Film Academy of the Philippines Award for best actress for her performance in One More Try.
Hold a Hemline - Simply fold the hem of your pants or skirt inward to the desired length, and place duct tape all the way around the edges.
Repair a Damaged Vehicle - Use it to prevent a crack from worsening on a windshield, to tape up a broken taillight, to reattach a dangling rear-view or side-view mirror, or to keep a hood or trunk lid shut until you can get to the repair shop. Also consider taping a spare car or house key to the undercarriage of your vehicle or inside a wheel well; you'll be grateful it's there if you lose your keys.
Banish Bugs - Use duct tape to seal small holes or gaps in your basement walls, around water pipes, or anywhere else pests can invade. To trap ants and other crawling insects, lay a piece of duct tape with the sticky side up along the edges of the basement floor or in between floor joists. Hanging strips or loops of tape from the basement ceiling can assist in catching flying pests.
Lock Up a Leak - If you have a small hole in a boat, canoe, or kayak, use duct tape to make a watertight patch that will get you underway until repairs can be made. Apply the duct tape underneath the hull, as the water pressure will help keep it in place. You can also use duct tape to patch holes in other outdoor gear, such as canvas covers, camping tents, or even torn umbrellas.
Lift Off Lint - Make a jumbo lint roller by wrapping duct tape—sticky side out—around an old paint roller; use it to remove pet hair and dust from upholstery, curtains, and carpeting. For smaller jobs, like your navy blue blazer, loop a length of duct tape around your hand and press it all over the fabric to remove the traces of your furry friends.
Corral Cords - Use several layers of duct tape to create a wrap to corral extension or long appliance cords. For added organization, consider assigning a color to each type of cord—for example, pink for phone accessories and green for TV cables. To avoid getting adhesive on the wires, fold the tape strip in half, leaving the ends at their full width. After winding the tape around the cords, press the two sticky ends together to seal.
Save a Screen - If you discover a small tear or hole in a window screen, use a strip of duct tape as a temporary patch until you can purchase replacements.
Remove Residue - It may seem counterintuitive, but duct tape can actually be used to remove stubborn, sticky residue left behind by other adhesives, especially on glass surfaces. Place a piece of duct tape over the sticky mess, rub a few times, and peel it away. Keep in mind that it might take a few applications to thoroughly strip off all the residue. Finish by wiping the area with alcohol or window cleaner.
Assist in First Aid - If you find yourself with a nasty splinter, use a piece of duct tape to remove it before it can work its way deeper into your sensitive flesh. Duct tape can also be a great temporary bandage for a deep cut, holding the edges of your skin together and minimizing blood loss until you can seek medical attention. For a sprain or a broken bone, use duct tape and a rigid stick to craft a temporary splint to immobilize the affected area.
Act as a Rope - Twist a long piece of duct tape into a rope to use as a temporary clothesline. You can even combine several lengths of duct-tape rope to fashion a stronger chain that can help you achieve other heavy-lifting feats, such as crafting a sling to carry large objects or binding together items for moving or storage.
Patch Up Plastic - Extend the useful lifespan of household essentials by duct taping cracks in plastic trash cans or storage bins. Other plastic home and garden items—vacuum cleaner hoses, buckets, planters, yard lights, or just about anything from your shed—can also benefit from the duct-tape treatment.
Create Crafts - Duct tape is the essential ingredient in an impressive number of craft projects. Use a colorful or classic gray roll to construct, among numerous other items, a shock-resistant cellphone sheath, personalized textbook covers, doll house furniture, flashlight headlights for your bicycle, quirky floral arrangements, or fun and unusual Halloween costumes.
Natalia Poklonskaya was born 18 March 1980 in the village of Mikhailovka, Voroshilovgrad Oblast (today Luhansk Oblast); later in 1990, her family moved to Yevpatoria in Crimea.
Poklonskaya graduated from the University of Internal Affairs in Yevpatoria in 2002.
Poklonskaya has a daughter, Anastasia, from her first marriage.
Both of her parents live in Crimea where they moved from the Lugansk Region in 1990, when Natalia was 10-years old, and both her grandfathers died during the Second World War, with only her grandmother surviving the German occupation.
Natalia Poklonskaya became the chief prosecutor of the annexed region of Crimea on 25 March 2014, after the Republic of Crimea seceded from Ukraine and joined the Russian Federation in 2014.
Poklonskaya immediately became an icon for many Japanese cartoonist and animators who were struck by her beauty and Russian anime fans nicknamed Poklonskaya "nyasha" (a cute, adorable person). Within one week of her appointment as prosecutor, many fan illustrations of Poklonskaya had been submitted to both Pixiv and DeviantArt, a sample is shown below.
Source: Daily Express website
Despite her popularity on the Internet, the Crimean Prosecutor said she'd "rather be appreciated for [her] work" than her good-looks. A subsequent interview, taken by НТВ Channel on March 24 2014 regarding Natalia’s opinion on her unusual Internet-fame and her nickname she replied: “I am the prosecutor here and therefore won’t tollerate any nyashas-myashas!”.
After Poklonskaya returned to Crimea she harshly criticized the Euromaidain protests and the new coup-installed Ukrainian government, which resulted in a criminal case against her in Ukraine and she was stripped of the rank of Counsellor of Justice.
Poklonskaya is fond of sports and likes to keep active whenever she can. "Prosecutors should be fit and in good shape — she's an officer," Poklonskaya said after passing the all-Russian physical culture training program, abbreviated as GTO ("Ready for Labour and Defense").
She is dubbed as the “Iron Princess of Crimea” and in 2015 Poklonskaya announced that she would be running as an MP in the State Duma for the United Russia party; Poklonskaya was elected during the 2016 Russian legislative election.
Poklonskaya resigned as Prosecutor General on 27 September 2016 due to her election as MP in the State Duma during the 2016 Russian legislative election.
Prior to her resignation she was the youngest female general in Russia, at age 36.
Born on 12 March 1976 in Wuhu, Anhui, Zhao is the second child to Zhao Jiahai (Chinese: 赵家海; pinyin: Zhào Jiāhǎi), an engineer, and Wei Qiying (Chinese: 魏启颖; pinyin: Wèi Qǐyǐng), a primary school teacher.
She’s known as “China’s show-business Buffett” in the business world aside from being China’s first modern “national idol” to film and television fans.
Along with her husband, businessman Huang Youlong whom she married in 2008 in Singapore, the couple’s net worth is estimated to be over $1 billion, mostly made up stock from Alibaba Pictures in a deal she struck with close friend and Chinese billionaire Jack Ma in 2014, according to Forbes.
Successful investments in real estate, a French winery such as Chateau Monlot and St-Emilion Grand Cru (the winery launched the Bordeaux wine brand in the Chinese mass market), and a Singapore jewelry retailer have further boosted her fortune.
Zhao was a kindergarten teacher at the age of 17 when a film director came into her town looking for extras and her actual debut was in the film Hua Hun, starring Gong Li. After participating in the filming as an extra, Zhao decided she wanted to act, and left her hometown that became start of her career.
She married her husband, businessman Huang Youlong, in 2008 in Singapore and on April 2010, they had a daughter whom they named April.
Her big break came in the late 90s with the TV drama “My Fair Princess” where she starred alongside fellow actress Fan BingBing and become the youngest actress to win a Golden Eagle award, the Chinese equivalent to an Emmy Award.
She also recorded seven Mando-pop albums before 2009, landing in China’s top 10 hits several times.
She is quite excellent in studying, not only for her straight A student, she even got a master degree in directing in BFA. Her MFA dissertation defense score 99/100, ranking 1 of all the graduates.
Zhao made her directorial debut in 2013 with the young romance film “So Young” which ended up becoming a box office hit as well as the fifth highest-grossing film in China at the time, earning 141 million RMB in the first week and garnering 350 million RMB in total for the box office. The film won her the Best New Director at 22nd ShangHai Film Critics Award, 29th Annual Golden Rooster Award, The 8th Chinese Young Generation Film Forum, The 9th Chinese American Film Festival. Zhao Wei is also nominated for Best New Director at The 50th Golden Horse Awards.This film So Young is the Opening Film for the 4th New York Chinese Film Festival, New York and 9th Annual Los Angeles Chinese American Film Festival. Zhao win the Best Director Award at the Los Angeles Chinese American Film Festival.
Zhao, who is a practicing Buddhist, is also a vegetarian, is known for her excellent Chinese calligraphy skills, and believes that the key to maintaining beauty is to live a healthy lifestyle from within.
In 2005 she was appointed as a spokesperson and ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund and China Youth Concern Committee's "Awareness for Children Affected by AIDS" campaign; she also wrote the song "Still Time for Tomorrow" as the theme song for the campaign.
Thora Birch was born on March 11, 1982 in Los Angeles.
She is the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors, who have been her business managers throughout her acting career, and are former adult film actors who both appeared in supporting roles in Deep Throat (1972).
Birch is of German Jewish, Scandinavian and Italian ancestry.
The family's surname was originally "Biersch," coming from their German Jewish ancestors.
Her name, Thora, is derived from the name of the Norse god of thunder and lightning, Thor, and she has a younger brother named Bolt.
She made her film debut in the 1988 science-fiction comedy Purple People Eater, for which she won a Youth In Film Award and a Young Artist Award in the category of "Best Young Actress Under Nine Years of Age".
She got her first role at the age of 6 in the short-lived sitcom Day by Day (1988).
Was actually only 16 years old at the time she was filmed nude for a scene in American Beauty (1999).
Used to live on her family ranch in East Los Angeles where she finished high school through a computer-based correspondence course.
1908 - 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
1909 - In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.
1910 - In 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs - and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament - greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.
1911 - Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day 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.
1913-1914 - On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Women's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity. For example, in London in the United Kingdom there was a march from Bow to Trafalgar Square in support of women's suffrage on 8 March 1914. Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested in front of Charing Cross station on her way to speak in Trafalgar Square.
1917 - On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death of over 2 million Russian soldiers in World War 1. Opposed by political leaders, the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.
1975 - International Women's Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations in 1975. Then in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.
1996 - The UN commenced the adoption of an annual theme in 1996 - which was "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future". This theme was followed in 1997 with "Women at the Peace table", and in 1998 with "Women and Human Rights", and in 1999 with "World Free of Violence Against Women", and so on each year until the current. More recent themes have included, for example, "Empower Rural Women, End Poverty & Hunger" and "A Promise is a Promise - Time for Action to End Violence Against Women".
2000 - By the new millennium, International Women's Day activity around the world had stalled in many countries. The world had moved on and feminism wasn't a popular topic. International Women's Day needed re-ignition. There was urgent work to do - battles had not been won and gender parity had still not been achieved.
2001 - The global internationalwomensday.com digital hub for everything IWD was launched to re-energize the day as an important platform to celebrate the successful achievements of women and to continue calls for accelerating gender parity. Each year the IWD website sees vast traffic and is used by millions of people and organizations all over the world to learn about and share IWD activity. The IWD website is made possible each year through support from corporations committed to driving gender parity. The website's charity of choice for many years has been the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) whereby IWD fundraising is channelled. A more recent additional charity partnership is with global working women's organization Catalyst Inc. The IWD website adopts an annual theme that is globally relevant for groups and organizations. This theme, one of many around the world, provides a framework and direction for annual IWD activity and takes into account the wider agenda of both celebration as well as a broad call to action for gender parity. Recent themes have included "Pledge for Parity", "Make it happen", "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum" and "Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures". Themes for the global IWD website are collaboratively and consultatively identified each year and widely adopted.
2011 - 2011 saw the 100 year centenary of International Women's Day - with the first IWD event held exactly 100 years ago in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month", calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" in shaping the country's history. The then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the "100 Women Initiative: Empowering Women and Girls through International Exchanges". In the United Kingdom, celebrity activist Annie Lennox lead a superb march across one of London's iconic bridges raising awareness in support for global charity Women for Women International. Further charities such as Oxfam have run extensive activity supporting IWD and many celebrities and business leaders also actively support the day
2017 and beyond - The world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation may feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men. However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so each year the world inspires women and celebrates their achievements. IWD is an official holiday in many countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more. Many global corporations actively support IWD by running their own events and campaigns. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google often changes its Google Doodle on its global search pages to honor IWD. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status.
Rachel Hannah Weisz was born on 7 March, 1970, in London, U.K., to Edith Ruth (Teich), a psychoanalyst, and George Weisz, an inventor.
Her father was born in Hungary and her mother was born in Austria. Both moved to the U.K. around 1938, because of the Nazi threat. Rachel's paternal grandparents, Yair Weisz (from Pressburg) and Katherine Glickel Sternberg (from Budapest), were both Ashkenazi Jews. Rachel's maternal grandfather, Alexander Teich, was an Austrian Jew, and Rachel's maternal grandmother, Anna Bassi, who was Catholic, had Austrian and Italian ancestry. Rachel's mother formally converted to Judaism when marrying Rachel's father.
She pronounces her last name "Vice."
Studying English at Cambridge University, Weisz formed the Talking Tongues theater company and at 1991's Edinburgh Festival won a student drama award for a play she wrote and acted in.
Drives an old, black Jaguar 4.2 Sovereign with pepper-pot wheels.
Has a tattoo of a ladder on her hip.
She appeared in two movies in 2005 that have the word "Constant" in their titles: Constantine (2005) and The Constant Gardener (2005).
Manila, The Philippines: Started filming for The Bourne Legacy (2012). [January 2012]
Is one of 6 actresses to have been pregnant at the time of winning the Academy Award; the others are Eva Marie Saint, Patricia Neal, Meryl Streep, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Natalie Portman. Neal is the only to have not accepted her award in person as a result of her pregnancy. Weisz was 7 months pregnant with her son Henry when she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Constant Gardener (2005).
Was the 127th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Constant Gardener (2005) at The 78th Annual Academy Awards (2006) on March 5, 2006.
Became an American citizen in 2011.
22nd June 2011 She married James Bond actor Daniel Craig.
On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to proclaim 3 March, the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as World Wildlife Day, which was proposed by Thailand, to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
The General Assembly requested the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, in collaboration with relevant organizations of the United Nations system, to facilitate the implementation of World Wildlife Day.
The first UN World Wildlife Day was celebrated on March 3, 2014
The official website is http://www.wildlifeday.org/
The official flickr page is https://www.flickr.com/photos/WorldWildlifeDay
A dedicated World Wildlife Day Facebook page to share news and stories of the Day can be followed at: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWildlifeDay.
The 2017 theme is "Listen to the young voices".
This year, 2017, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) partnered to end rampant illegal wildlife trade and encourage active youth involvement in wildlife protection.
The 2016 theme is "The future of wildlife is in our hands", with a sub-theme "The future of elephants is in our hands".
The 2015 theme is "It’s time to get serious about wildlife crime".
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed 2,599 species, subspecies and sub-populations of critically endangered animals.
There are also 1,975 critically endangered plants, fungi and other organisms.
