Seeds of Hope

Seeds of Hope works towards cooperative global action for women. The effort is community-based in one sense, but global in another. It involves creating gardens throughout the city of Hamilton comprised of horticultural seeds donated from women's support centres and groups from around the world. To facilitate this process, the Women's Centre of Hamilton invited other women's centres around the world to contact them - via email - to express an interest in participating. A certified horticulturist will then request a packet of seeds specific to each centre's region that is safe to the eco-environment. The "Gardens of Hope" that result are designed to commemorate the Day and to represent the solidarity of women and their ability for growth, renewal, and peace. The gardens also aim to serve as a means of educational outreach - bringing knowledge of the Women's Centre of Hamilton to the public by communicating its name and location at gardens sites in public places where people gather.

A second component of the project is the creation of a booklet of International Women's Day Stories. Participating countries have been invited to share a brief description of the types of celebrations that take place in their country. The descriptions are being collated into a booklet that will be shared at the garden site centres, and displayed on the day of celebration. A copy will also be given to each of the participating centres as documentation of women's centres' international collectiveness.

On March 8 2007, the Centre will be celebrating International Women's Day at an art gallery in Hamilton - unveiling the gardens, presenting the booklet, and acknowledging participating women's centres. The strategy here involves both spurring public awareness about women's issues in the city of Hamilton and connecting with organisations around the world that are undertaking similar work.

International Women's Day was first marked in 1911 to protest women's working conditions. In 1977, the United Nations invited all member states to designate a Day; in most countries around the world, it is celebrated on March 8.

The Women's Centre of Hamilton is a not-for-profit organisation consisting of 5 women employees and many volunteers that provides programmes, workshops, and peer support to women in that city and the surrounding area.

This initiative is envisioned not just as a one-time event but, rather, as a project extending itself outwards so that - in 2008 and years to come - other nations might take part in this project and then embark on sister Seeds of Hope projects in their own country (for which the Women's Centre of Hamilton would provide mentorship).