International Women’s Day at the Embassy of India in Vienna, March 8th 2024
The Way of Awareness – an immersion experience in Mindfulness and Heartfulness
Book launch “Calm the Monkey Mind” by Martina Esberger-Chowdhury
On International Women’s Day the Indian Embassy in Vienna organized an event including a panel discussion on this year’s global theme “Investing in women to accelerate progress”. H.E. Ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar opened the event, which was inaugurated by Ms. Aaarti Holla-Maini, director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). Ms. Holla-Maini spoke empowering words on women, success and on her own personal journey.
There followed a short invocation and yoga demonstration by Ms. Jyoti Mittal and a riveting dance performance by renowned Bharat Natyam dancer Radha Anjali and the Natya Mandir Dance Company on the current state of nature and humanity with visuals and narratives which reminded us of our responsibility for our planet. The launch of the book “Calm the Monkey Mind – a scientific approach to mindful living” by Dr. Martina Esberger-Chowdhury by Ambassador Mazumdar and Ms. Aarti Holla-Maini was followed by a brief introduction of the book on contemporary Mindfulness.
Under the expert moderation of Ms. Nidhi Dhiman, First Secretary (EC & UN), Indian Embassy a panel discussion with a panel of high-profile women including Madam Ambassador Parvati Chatterjee-Mazumdar, Educationist, Dr Pooja Bhatnagar Mathur, Head of Plant Breeding and Genetics laboratory of the FAO-IAEA, Dr Verena Widorn, director of the Western Himalaya Archive Vienna at University of Vienna and Dr. Martina Esberger-Chowdhury, Owner Mindfulness and Mind-Leadership closed the evening. Focus were the impacts, the current statistics, the hurdles and success stories and the burning call for change in the universal promotion of women.
In this long, seemingly endless journey to equality, it is tiny steps forward and so many backwards, that I personally observe, often with dismay and sorrow, even as women shift towards more empowerment and self-reliance all over the world. What would our societies be without the great impact of women? And yet, so many hurdles, mindset changes, biases, expectations, judgements, social barriers and norms to traditional roles and responsibilities, educational roles and more must be traversed. Let events of this kind keep the flame of hope and motivation for women burning!
Thank you to Ambassador Mazumdar and the excellent team from the Indian Embassy Vienna, for acknowledging International Women’s Day with this wonderful event, showcasing “shakti”, the power of the feminine!
