July 20

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1866 Ada Salter born Raunds, Northamptonshire (d. 1942). British social reformer headed Bermondsey Settlement; Quaker pacifist; Christian Socialist; house was stoned for opposition to World War I and support of Non-Conscription Fellowship; co-founder WILPF; postwar WILPF aid to German and Austrian refugees; first woman mayor in London, 1922; environmental pioneer; opposed World War II.

  • 1878 Emilia Fogelklou born Simrishamn, Sweden (d. 1972). Swedish theologian, feminist, women's historian, teacher, pacifist; one of first Quakers in Sweden 1931; early member of WILPF and International Fellowship of Reconciliation.

  • 1921 Zofia Kuratowska born Skolimów-Konstancin, Poland. Physician, activist, and politician. Leading female organizer of Solidarity movement, 1980. Protested state of war, 1982. President of Senate, 1989-97.

  • 1927 Lyudmila Alexeyeva born Yevpatoria, Crimea, USSR. Russian human rights activist; Soviet dissident; archaeologist and historian. Co-founded Russian human rights organization Moscow Helsinki Group, 1976.

  • 1939 Judy Chicago born Chicago, IL. Anti-war feminist and artist; contributed to LA Peace Tower against Vietnam War, 1966; Holocaust Project, 1993.

  • 1964 Bui Thi Minh Hang born Vietnam. Arrested Hanoi 2011 and sentenced to reeducation for peaceful protest against arrest of protesters.

  • 1969 Jeroo Billimoria born Mumbai, India. Founded Child Helpline International, 2004, Childline India Foundation, 1996.

  • 1980 Gisele Bundchen born Três de Maio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Supermodel; Goodwill Ambassador of UN Environmental Program, 2009.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1848 World's first women's rights convention concluded Seneca Falls, promising more meetings.

  • 1991 Mothers of the Soldiers of Belgrade: "We refuse that our sons become the victims of senseless militarists. . . It is a disgrace to win a fratricidal war."

  • 2002 Women, War and Peace Seminar, Geneva: "Throughout history, women have negotiated peace."

  • 2011 Catherine-Ann MacDougal climbed oak tree in nonviolent protest against strip mining, Marfork WV.

  • 2012 Women for Women protested violence Colombo, Sri Lanka.