On the occasion of International Women’s day, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal organised a daylong symposium ‘STRI- I’m Every Woman’ to discuss the core women issues and also topics like financial independence, body shaming, women hygiene and gender attitudes prevailing in the society. On this occasion 18 women from different walks of life were also felicitated for their contribution to the society.
Manish Shanker Sharma, IG (Intelligence), guest of honour, delivered the inaugural speech. He shared his views on gender issues, women rights and job opportunities in the present times.
In his welcome address Elton Hurtis, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott said, “It becomes much more important to table the issues because of the increasing violence and insecure environment towards women in India.”
The programme began with a series of lectures by experts on various topics. Ranju Alex, General Manager, Marriott Resort and Spa, Goa delivered her lecture on ‘Inspiring the working woman of tomorrow’. She shed light on empowerment of the young women in the society. Shibani Ghosh, an entrepreneur and a social worker, gave an inside view of what it takes to be an entrepreneur in her topic ‘Vocation as a Women Entrepreneur’.
Nidhi Agrawal in her lecture on subject ‘Finding your strengths’, gave an overview of the inner strengths of a woman. How education plays key role in shaping career of a woman was the yet another good lecture delivered by Sujata on ‘Importance of Education for the girl child’.
About the growing health issues among women, mostly the threats of breast and cervical cancer, Dr Shalini Kapoor talked about the taboos in our society and how we can overcome it.
In the second half of the programme a panel discussion was organised which discussed ‘Why India needs to celebrate its Women’. The keynote speakers of the panel discussion were, Pratibha lalwani, Shashi Keswani, Ranju Alex, Madhuri Mishra and Ms. Chandana Arora.