Women entrepreneurs and professionals in Singapore celebrated International Women’s Day this year in a much grander way, and with two new meaningful agenda. This year two ethnic chambers are coming together as co-organisers of the Women for Women conference and concert, and they are bringing in a charity element to this big celebration of women’s success.
The Women for Women 2017 International Women’s Day Conference and Concert staged by ethnic chambers was held at Resorts World Sentosa Theatre on Saturday, 4th March 2017. It was a Big Day for Social Cohesion
The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Career Women’s Group (SCCCI-CWG), which has organised past celebrations of International Women’s Day, is being joined by the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (SICCI) Women Entrepreneur Network (WEN) for the first time, in a demonstration of social cohesion and inter-ethnic relations. Together with top women’s magazine Her World, they will stage “Women for Women”, a host of activities to celebrate the strength of women from diverse professions, on 4 March 2017, at the Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa.
For the first time, the event is taking on a fund-raising role to contribute to two charities: Tsao Foundation’s Hua Mei Centre, which pioneered an approach to ageing and eldercare by helping mature adults, especially older women, master their ageing journey, and the Yellow Ribbon Fund, specifically the CN Children Support Programme which seeks to nurture the development of cognitive and socio-emotional skills among children of ex-offenders
The organisers are expecting a record gathering of 800, a three-fold increase in number compared to previous years’ activities.
A conference will feature talks by seven distinguished career women who have broken the glass ceiling to succeed in business. They include: Ong Chih Ching, Executive Chairman & Executive Director, KOP Limited: Yang Yanqing, Deputy Editor in Chief, Yicai Media Group; and Noni Sri Ayati Purnomo, President Director, Blue Bird Group Holdings.
A panel discussion, with the theme Women in Roads Less Travelled, features Mary Ann Tsao, Chairman of Tsao Foundation, Theresa Goh, Paralympic Swimmer, and Siow Le Chin, concert violinist and Professor of Violin, College of Charleston, who will share their extraordinary journeys. Mediacorp Gold 905 DJ, Jamie Yeo is the panel moderator.
Celebrity women musicians, including Siow Lee Chin and Olivia Ong, will perform in a concert hosted by Diana Ser.
The Indian Chamber’s chairperson for its Women Entrepreneur Network, Ms Helen Campos, said that it has been a great honour for the Indian Chamber to participate for the first time in an event for Singapore women on such a large sale. “Besides being an uplifting exercise for career women to get together and share their successes and challenges, Women for Women also scores well on social cohesion and inter-ethnic integration.”
SCCCI-CWG chairperson, Quek Soo Boon, said: “The International Women’s Day celebrations in Singapore have transformed and grown tremendously from previous years, from exceptional keynote speakers to the inclusion of a philanthropic element and a concert. We anticipate a wonderful afternoon. We are also pleased that we are able to promote social cohesion and foster good partnership between two ethnic Chambers.”
The SICCI Women Entrepreneur Network works with budding Indian women entrepreneurs and provides channels for them to upgrade their businesses and to network with like minded women in Singapore.
