Global Celebration of Love and Peace,

International Woman's Day o­n March 8^th, 2011

Let’s remember the struggle for Woman’s Rights in the freedom and equality in governance, and celebrate Woman’s Day with Love and Peace!

It started that American working women demonstrated for woman suffrage in NY o­n 8^th March 1904, and German Socialist, Clara Zetkin advocated putting the Memorial Day for Woman’s freedom and equality at the International Conference of Socialists in Copenhagen o­n 19^th of March, 1910. The following year, over o­ne million European people were observed for Woman’s Day, and Peace Rally was held in 1913 facing World War I.It’s worthy note that the demonstrations of Russian women o­n the International Women's Day proved their powerful voice, including many labors and soldiers, towards the Russian Revolution of 1917.

In Japan, the first Woman’s suffrage is observed o­n September, 1880, and I like to specially note the favor of the earnest Woman’s liberalist, Raityo Hiratsuka and the Tanka poet, Akiko Yosano who founded and had published magazine, the Seitou o­n 1911.The famous phrase of Raityo Hiratsuka; “Woman was originally the sun!” is well known with another phrase in poem of Akiko Yosano; “The day for a mountain to move, has come.” Thenthe poet, Akiko Yosano published a strong antiwar poem in poetry magazine the Myoujou,“ Ah, my brother, I tear for you, Never you be died, Did our parents hand you a knife and teach you to kill human?...The emperor doesn’t carry himself to the fire field….,”in the begging of the Russo-Japanese War, 1904. She boldly wrote many poems/tankas, essay, criticism, and she encouraged women towards freedom.Even such her in favor for love and peace, it must be remarked that she has written poem to encourage soldiers in the World War II.Now her monument is built in China by Japan-China friendship, and we learn all the war bring us painful life and days. She was a woman who lived in passion.When I saw her in the library of my high school, her photograph with eleven children pointed out me.Her house that stones were thrown to protest against her antiwar poem was near the high school, and the town of Sakai had initiative of freedom as well as missionary Francisco Zavier stayed and she also travelled European countries early in the time of modernism.She wrote about 50,000 tankas and translated the Genji story of the first love story in the world, from old Japanese language through her energetic life, which are loved even in now.

The opining of industrialism and European civilization brought us a new style of Woman and built up sense of entitlement in the environment of hard work to develop the industry.I like to hereby introduce the opposite opinions between Raityo and Akiko o­n the issue of protecting motherhood.

A.Advocated by Raityo Hiratsuka, The protection of Motherhood;

The state should protect the motherhood and the woman in the period of pregnancy, birth and childcare.

B.Rejected by Akiko Yosano, Woman shouldn’t depend o­n neither Man nor State.

The protection of Motherhood by State subordinates to the state.

The opposition looks in the natural subject o­n Woman.Human has two sexes to

relay a life to next generation and all the struggle of Woman are to live better. We appreciate to the history.Today, Japanese women celebrate the International Woman’s Day and have talk relay in House of Councilors 2011. If Raityo Hiratsuka, Akiko Yosano were alive, how they feel and think of it?

The industrialism of 19^th century had the paradox of liberalism and socialism in the structure, while there was a flower of modernism in literature, culture, and social conscious, during the militarization stepping o­n.After the World War II, Japan was rebuilt in peace constitution with article 9^th which declared Everlasting Peace, and o­n 8^th March 1923, socialism feminist organization held the meeting for Woman’s Day.In 1960’s, feminism flamed reforming for freedom and equality, and rapidly spread raising the conscious of human rights among the industrialism countries.The USSR had the International Women's Day as a non-working day to admire the great contribution of the Soviet women forthe revolution, 1965.

The UN provided the International Woman’s Day o­n 8^th March since the International Woman’s Year of 1975, and the secretary-general of the UN has called for signatories to adjust their social environment in which the woman has enough service and equality.On the 8^th March 2000, High Commissioner of the UN, Mary Robinson who became the first woman as the president of Ireland, issued the proclamation for 21 century; The International Woman’s Day is to celebrate the way obtained for woman’s rights, and to bring us thinking of many women victims yet extending. Surely there are numerous women who can’t obtain the human rights in the world and numerous suffering children who can’t live enough and who can’t receive necessary education in the poverty. Our planet is facing the environment crisis in the industrialism civilization.As a human living in this beautiful planet of the creation of life, we must learn how better life is not for women but also man, children, and old people.

Essentially, Man and Woman are in Equality since God created, and the Motherhood which gives free-love, without any expectation, is respected in the world and has creative role in society because all human are born from mother, like called Mother earth, Mother land, Mother language…International Women's Day started as the International Working Women’s Day, and the flower gift of mimosa in Russia, Italy, and European countries, would be appearance of the admiration to Woman and the motherhood.Love is the source of all to create peace, and the Motherhood is admired as well as nature has the Motherhood. I wish“ Love and Peace” bring us towards Global Peace!

Kae Morii,

Poet, GHA-Japan

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