UNF is proud to support this edition of the Femina Vox International Forum, led and founded by Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO Artist for Peace and Vice President of UNF.
This year’s edition took place in Brazil and highlighted Indigenous women, with a focus on women and climate, while reaffirming the importance of women in diplomacy and promoting positive masculinity.
Following events organized in Campo Grande by Professor Gisèle Marquez and Professor Mara Rute Hercelin, in the heart of the Pantanal, and later in Brasília, Dr. Kessous had the opportunity to lead several art therapy masterclasses for Indigenous women as well as women who are survivors of sexual violence at the Women’s House of Brazil.
Femina Vox brought together more than 2,000 participants, including Márcia Lopes, Minister for Women’s Rights; the parliamentary representative for gender equality; the Mayor of Campo Grande, Camilla Nascimento de Oliveira; Larissa Franco Serpa from the Maria da Penha Law Brigade against domestic violence; and Carla Stephanini, Chief Coordinator of the Women’s House of Brazil, along with official representatives of Indigenous and native women.
Also participating in the event were Fernanda Régis, representative of INEE in Brazil, and Bárbara Elizia, Director of Sports at SESC and one of the honorees during the Brasília gathering. Cristiane Collet, Director of the National Water Agency, and Camila Ítavo, Rector of UFMS, were also in attendance.
Brazilian universities also joined the event, notably UEMS and the Cogna Group, contributing to discussions on the importance of science in building gender equality.
Embratur supported the event and helped place the culture, gastronomy, and ancestral knowledge of Mato Grosso do Sul at the heart of the gathering.
The cultural program was overseen by Professor Marcelo Proença of UFMS, who curated a musical agenda featuring an Indigenous orchestra as well as other musical expressions representing the region’s rich cultural diversity.
The CEAEDD representative in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Adriana Sunakozawa, along with researcher and innovation entrepreneur Soraia Zonta, also took part in the discussions.
The Center for Advanced Studies in Education and Sustainable Development (CEAEDD) and its team provided essential support in the design and structuring of the project in Brazil, facilitating partnerships and coordination among institutional, academic, and cultural stakeholders.
In Brasília, ABRIG, along with the commitment of its Institutional Vice President Fayet and its leadership, played a key role in the success of the event.
In the federal capital, the gathering was marked by a visit to SESC projects in Brasília, an award ceremony, and a moment of awareness and discussion aimed at expanding the “Women Take Care of Themselves” (Mulheres Cuidam de Si) initiative.
This edition was marked by many smiles and strong commitment, particularly around the Femina Pax project and the resolution aimed at strengthening women’s presence at negotiation tables.
Press Contact:
Christophe Giovannetti
President of the UNF
[email protected]
