Women are once again making women’s history at the 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions!
Women’s wisdom, spirituality and empowerment take center stage at The Women’s Assembly, Programming, Village and Sacred Space. Join us as we advance the Call to Conscience for women’s dignity, bodily autonomy, and human rights, and experience countless opportunities for inspiration, soul nourishment and world-changing relationship building.
The Women's Assembly
The Women’s Task Force of the Parliament presents the 2023 Women’s Assembly at 10am CT on Tuesday 15 August 2023. Outstanding women activists of the world’s faith and spiritual traditions will speak to the Parliament’s urgent theme, sharing women’s diverse, energized, and inspired resistance to authoritarianism and its disproportionate impact on women and girls.
Luminaries of the Women's Assembly
- Her Excellency María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés is an academic, politician and diplomat with 30+ years of experience, including leadership positions within the Government of Ecuador and at the most senior level of the United Nations.
- Great Grandmother Mary Lyons is an Anishinaabe-Ojibwe Elder, a world-renowned Wisdom keeper, humanitarian, activist, and author.
- Rev. Aina-Nia Ayo'dele is a leadership coach, author, public speaker and ancient wisdom teacher who considers herself a Spiritual Liberation Activist.
- Rev. Jennifer Butler is the founder of Faith in Public Life to amplify progressive faith voices and forge multi-racial, multi-faith and ideologically diverse faith coalitions to work for justice and the common good.
- Cynthia Conti-Cook is a civil rights attorney and researcher studying the impacts of new technologies on movements for liberation and state systems of control.
- Yaël Eisenstat is the Vice President at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) heading the Center for Technology & Society (CTS).
- Sousan Abadi is a former Franklin Fellow at the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
- Anila Ali is the President of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council.
Women’s Presence at the 2023 Convening
Women’s Programming Track
With over 80 programs throughout the week, the Women’s Track features programs from across the globe to enrich the spiritual lives of women and to empower collective and individual action securing their freedom and human rights during this critical moment in our collective history.
The Women’s Village
Located on Level 2 of the Lakeside Center, the Women’s Village is a unique and welcoming space, carefully designed to support the way women create and converge. Come to the Village to be nourished, activated and inspired to protect and deepen our commitment to preserve freedom, human rights and dignity for all.
The Women’s Sacred Space
A beautiful, interfaith space designed in the fashion of a Red Ten, open throughout the Parliament convening for meditation, contemplation, ceremony, celebration, rites and rituals.
Heartfelt thanks
Heartfelt thanks to Jean Shinoda Bolen, Carolina McCabe and our anonymous donors for their generous donations to the Women’s Task Force and our work bringing women’s wisdom, concerns and spirit to the Parliament!
Please support the ongoing work of the Women's Task Force! Donate to the Global Sisters Fund. Your donation gives us the opportunity to uplift the voices of women at the largest and most diverse interfaith gathering in the world.
We’ll see you in Chicago!
Rev. H.Ps Phyllis Curott, Chair, Women’s Task Force
Dolly Dastoor
Kehkashan Basu
Pat Fero
Sande Hart
Ann Smith
Sharan Singh