This Tuesday, February 12, the ELAS Fund team received a visit from Marta Núnez, director of the Latin American region at FiLiA UK, a feminist organization in England. Marta was with us at the II Dialogue Building Movements: Alliances and Collective Actions, in September 2018, which brought together 130 leaders from 10 countries.
Back in Brazil to visit the women's groups and organizations she met at the II Dialogue Building Movements, Marta says that her goal is to make it possible for Brazilian leaders to take part in the conference that Filia will be promoting in October in Bradford, England.
"I was very impressed by the Brazilian women's movement, its different struggles which are like a crossroads of gender, social class and race. All the presences and discussions were very enriching. I came back to strengthen and advance this partnership," says Marta.
For Marta, Filia needs to expand its exchanges with the women's movement in Latin America. "We still don't have that much connection with the region. We hold this conference every year and last year was the first time we had representatives from Latin America, with leaders from Colombia and Argentina."
After visiting the ELAS Fund, Marta also visited the headquarters of the British Council, ELAS Fund's partner in the program Contemporary Feminismswhich institutionally strengthens women's groups, organizations and networks through financial support, training, monitoring their projects and developing networks.
KK Verdade, executive coordinator of the ELAS Fund, celebrates the opportunity to deepen connections between the UK and Brazil. "It's a pleasure to welcome Marta back to Rio de Janeiro, and to be able to enable new connections between activists from Brazil and around the world, which is one of our main objectives in the Contemporary Feminisms program. We encourage the creation of international, intergenerational and inter-movement alliances, because we know that they are fundamental to strengthening women who defend democracy."
About Filia UK, by themselves:
"We are the daughters of the women who came before us. Who fought for our children, our bodies, ourselves. We continue their legacy, fighting for the liberation of all women and girls today. Every year, we hold a world-renowned annual conference, bringing together women from all over the world to exchange ideas, share experiences and build contacts and network. We want to amplify women's voices, advance gender equity by showcasing activists, academics, artists, NGOs and their work. We promote human rights, especially women's rights. We promote women artists, feminists and artivists, to give a voice to minority and disadvantaged women."
