Dominican women will have yet another opportunity to hear the accomplishments and be inspired by local and regional female icons when VF inc hosts the fourth annual Phenomenal Caribbean Women’s Symposium on January 26 at Cabrits, Portsmouth.
Symposium organizer, VF Inc’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Valda Henry, says since the first symposium back in 2007 there has been a growing interest from the public to participate in the activity.
“The interest this year is even bigger and what is interesting is that so far most of the interest have been from new people completely. We have a core of about sixty of seventy women who have not missed any of the past symposiums and we are sure they will be present at this year’s event,” she said.
The symposium is receiving support from the Bureau of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs which has partnered with VF Inc in hosting the event for a second time this year.
“Last year they collaborated with us for the first time and again they decided to partner with us. We hope they will remain permanent collaborators because they too have added a new dimension because they too choose some of the speakers. Because they are in contact with so many women, last year they were able to bring together a whole group of women who typically may not have come to it. They also assist greatly with transportation,” Dr. Henry noted.
Dr. Henry explained that during the symposium, participants will benefit from the life stories of four featured speakers, three of whom have already been confirmed.
She said Dominican business entrepreneur Annette St. Hillaire, who was the first female mayor of Roseau and First Caribbean International Bank’s 2011 Unsung Hero, Gloria Walsh, will speak at this year’s symposium.
In addition, Vincentian Karen Hinds will also seek to inspire Dominican women at the upcoming symposium.
“This year we are going to be mesmerized by Miss Karen Hinds of St. Vincent and the Grenadines who is resident in the United States. She is an interesting choice who received overwhelming recommendations from people from her home country to speak at the Symposium. Interestingly, she is planning to hold a similar activity in the form of a youth series in St. Vincent,” Dr. Henry stated.
Dr. Henry notes that while the theme for this year’s symposium will remain the same as last year’s; ‘What you conceive, you can achieve because God has the power to deliver what he promises’, speakers have an opportunity to choose topics around the theme.
One of the topics which has chosen will be “finding your hidden treasures in secret places”.
Women from ages 18 and above have been invited to register to participate in the symposium. The symposium costs $300 per person. That fee will cover transportation to Cabrits and back, snacks, lunch, shuttle service. A small token will also be presented to all participants.
The symposium, to be held at the Cabrits, is expected commence at 8am and will run until 6pm on January 26th.
Keep up the good work, Valda
Goog work. Keep it up.
Another great initiative by Dr. Henry and her team at VF inc. Truly a phenomenal woman..