Even a representative from the City Council of Geneva had come to commemorate Edith's 90th Birthday on Human Rights Day. Being of black African decent, he found lovely words to honour this unusual woman and her struggle against Racism and any forms of discrimination. Here stands a resistance fighter, he said, a woman who shares our legacy. A great number of former NGO- colleagues had joined in, too. Anna Biondi, deputy Director of the Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) at the ILO (International Labour Office) encouraged everyone not to give up the struggle and to follow Edith's footsteps.
We had a wonderful evening on December 10th at the International Conference Centre at number one, Rue de Varembe in Geneva, where Edith had worked for so many years, an occasion to meet coo-workers and good old friends. Felicity Ruby had come all the way from Australia, in order to speak on behalf of Edith's achievements in the name of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
Ediths message in her response was:
"Everyone who works for peace has to respect the UN-Charta and stand up to its defense.
Read the Charta, study it, see what the essence of it is. Do not go around it, above it, or beside it. Pressure your governments to uphold it. The Charta is a great instrument for peace work, use it!
Remember the value of cooperative efforts, come together, like you are doing today. Remember the value of UN- bodies like the ILO, which is even much older than the UN.
Make sure every chapter of the Charta is upheld, get re-energized through working together with the Charta in your mind."
We had a wonderful evening on December 10th at the International Conference Centre at number one, Rue de Varembe in Geneva, where Edith had worked for so many years, an occasion to meet coo-workers and good old friends. Felicity Ruby had come all the way from Australia, in order to speak on behalf of Edith's achievements in the name of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
Ediths message in her response was:
"Everyone who works for peace has to respect the UN-Charta and stand up to its defense.
Read the Charta, study it, see what the essence of it is. Do not go around it, above it, or beside it. Pressure your governments to uphold it. The Charta is a great instrument for peace work, use it!
Remember the value of cooperative efforts, come together, like you are doing today. Remember the value of UN- bodies like the ILO, which is even much older than the UN.
Make sure every chapter of the Charta is upheld, get re-energized through working together with the Charta in your mind."
My heartfelt and best birthday wishes to Edith Ballantyne!
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