b'closing remarks2021 proved once again to be a year whenDream Organization educating disadvantaged the global pandemic attempted to preventand marginalised girls aged between 10 and Soroptimist International (SI) from achieving15 years of age in the Siem Reap communities, its goals as new variants of the virus spreadand supporting newly widowed women and and lockdowns continued. As we did in 2020, SIfemale-headed households, training them in implemented a together but apart approachvarious skills to improve self-confidence and self-to our work, and collectively the SI Board ofesteem.Directors, Presidential Appointees, and SIHQIn March SI established the Soroptimist Staff worked as a team to achieve the goals setInternational Foundation which received for the year. charitable status in July. The Foundation SIs advocacy work remained mostly virtualwill become the home of the SI Presidents during 2021. Nonetheless, SI had excellentAppeals and future International Appeals. The representation at the sixty-fifth session of theSoroptimist International Foundation will be Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65)introduced to Soroptimists at the SI Dublin and participation in the agreed conclusions.International Convention.We witnessed pushback on the gains made inOctober saw Soroptimist International host a respect of achieving gender equality during thevirtual 100th-anniversary party for thousands pandemic, in particular the increase in domesticof Soroptimists who joined in from around the violence. Our SI United Nations Representativesglobe. Celebrating and recognising our impact worked hard to create awareness of these issuessince 1921, SI President 2020-2021, Sharon and advocate for policy changes to improve theFisher led the event which proudly displayed situation of women and girls in all their diversity. many Soroptimist projects and campaigns. We SI President 20202021, Sharon Fisher,certainly have a history to be proud of and as continued to drive forward her appeal, Roadwe embrace the next 100 years, Soroptimist to Equality, sharing SI advocacy knowledgeInternational can draw on its history and modern and messages to Soroptimists and partnersways of working to ensure it continues to be through some excellent webinars and podcasts.heard as a Global Voice for Women and Girls.If you have not listened in yet, head over toGlobal Executive Director, Deborah Thomasthe SI website or our YouTube Channel to view the library of recordings. Road to Equality delivered six projects, all action-orientated to address many forms of violence against women, including an innovative project in partnership with the Global Media Campaign, with SI funding six campaigners to travel to local radio stations across Africa to broadcast key messages about female genital mutilation.SI President 20222023, Maureen Maguire launched her appeal Opening Doors to a Bright Future in October, cementing the Soroptimist belief and commitment to Education throughout the life course, and its immense power and fundamental role as a driver for sustainable development, peace, and equality. The first project taking place in Cambodia partners with the Cambodian Community soroptimistinternational.org 18'