The IWM Experience

Having been on a family road trip to Normandy a few years ago, the experience has remained a vivid remembrance of the horrors of a war that was fought mostly in France. Well, that is not entirely fair since the Eastern Front in Poland, Ukraine and Russia had far more casualties, and World War II did also involve battles in East and Southeast Asia as well as Northern Africa.

Scene from Normandy 2013

But nonetheless, it is just one example of how the horrors of war are entrenched in the land of this country and in the psyche of its people.  In this “musing”, I build on earlier reflections about the lingering effects of World War II on the Riviera with my impressions of a recent visit to the Imperial War Museum in London.

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Peymeinade au premier plan de la journée internationale de la femme

La Journée internationale de la femme (8 mars) est une journée mondiale célébrant les réalisations sociales, économiques, culturelles et politiques des femmes. Pour moi, ce fut une journée marquée par des événements spéciaux, que ce soit à Genève où j’ai travaillé pendant plus de 20 ans ou à Washington, DC et ailleurs aux États-Unis, pour sensibiliser à l’égalité des sexes. En cette première année de ma retraite dans le sud de la France, j’ai été ravie de découvrir que la petite commune de Peymeinade près de chez moi faisait activement la promotion de toute une série d’événements pour célébrer la journée, pas seulement le 8 mars, mais pendant 2 semaines!

Les expositions sur «100 ans de lutte pour l’égalité» et sur «Les femmes exceptionnelles» sont les traits marquants de l’actualité. Le premier était exposé à la Salle art et culture jusqu’au jeudi 15 mars 2018 et le second était exposé au Hall d’honneur de la Mairie jusqu’au Vendredi 9 mars 2018. Je me suis risqué l’autre jour, une journée relativement douce et ensoleillée après la tempête de neige de trois jours qui avait soufflé sur la Côte d’Azur plus tôt dans la semaine, pour explorer la ville à la recherche de ces expositions.

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Peymeinade in the Forefront on International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. For me, it has been a day marked by special events, whether in Geneva where I worked for over 20 years or in Washington, DC and elsewhere in the US from my earlier days, to raise awareness of gender equality. In this first year of my retirement living in Southern France, I was delighted to discover that the small commune of Peymeinade near my home was actively promoting a whole series of events to recognize the day – not just on 8 March but for two weeks!

The expositions on « 100 Ans de Combat pour l’égalité » (100 Years of Struggle for Equality) and on “Les Femmes Excetionnelles » (Exceptional Women) are the ongoing features of note. The first was on display at the Salle art et culture (the Art and Culture Room) until Thursday, 15 March 2018, and the second was on display at the Hall d’Acceuil de la Mairie (the Reception Hall of the Town Hall) until Friday, 9 March 2018. I ventured out the other day, a relatively mild and sunny day following the three-day freak snowstorm that had blown through the Cote d’Azur earlier in the week, to explore the town in search of these exhibits.

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Spotlight on Trade, Tariffs and Gender

The commentary for this first week of March was intended to focus on the various controversies and advances on gender that are being featured around International Women’s Day. In spite of the turbulence with which this month has opened (in both weather and trade politics!), it is still timely to touch on a number of these developments – especially since we can cheer the momentum leading to a declaration on gender and trade at the WTO.  See photo below from a panel at the WTO just one year ago.

Setting the Stage for a Declaration on Gender and Trade, 8 March 2017

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is also worthy of some attention – “The Time Is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”. But this has all been upended by a more fundamental challenge to today’s global rules-based trading system, having to do with a trade war invoking “national security” on steel and aluminum. So first a few words on that – and then back to the gender theme – which includes reflections on the encouraging developments in gender-based activism involving trade policy but also on the burgeoning allegations of sexual harassment that are spilling over into the UN system and major global NGOs. Will they bring a major behavioural change? Read more here. Continue reading “Spotlight on Trade, Tariffs and Gender”