FAWCO NEWS CORNER September 2025

9/3/20252 min read

FAWCO NEWS CORNER

SEPTEMBER 2025

AIWAV IN THE SPOTLIGHT

AIWAV will be the featured club during the next FAWCO meeting scheduled this month! As your rep, I’ll be presenting the details of our club to the other 58 clubs in 29 countries. We have two events coming up in conjunction with other FAWCO clubs – in September and November. Then remember that you can attend online discussions, a book club, and travel to rewild and plant trees in Scotland – all through FAWCO’s organization! See more details here:

We have two FAWCO-related events that we are participating in during the fall:

Constitution Day Event scheduled for 10 AM on September 17th with the location to be determined. Some of our members, participants from Democrats Abroad, and faculty and students from the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari will be reading excerpts from the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Stolpersteine Memorial is set to happen on or around November 19th. We plan to participate by cleaning brass plates and honoring those who lost their lives in Venice during the WWII tragedy.

FAWCO BOOK CLUB

The Offing by Benjamin Myers is the featured book that will be discussed by FAWCO members on September 17th at 1 PM. Sign up on the FAWCO website to participate in the virtual event.

WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN

On September 15 at 5 pm CET, the Human Rights Team is hosting a special discussion about CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the situation of women in Afghanistan.

As UN Women have observed: "Even before the Taliban took power in August 2021, Afghanistan ranked among the lowest countries in the world for gender equality. But there had been hard-won gains. Now, under the Taliban’s de facto rule, those gains have been erased and Afghanistan has become the world’s most severe women’s human rights crisis."

Join the Human Rights Team for a discussion led by experts about the situation of women in Afghanistan as well as this international initiative using CEDAW. The panel will be moderated by Jessica Buchleitner (FAWCO UN Team) and will feature these amazing women:

Corinne Dettmeijer, Vice Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (UNOHCHR)
Elahe Amani, Human Rights Activist, Expert on Iran and Afghanistan
Marelie Manders (Heidelberg IWC), Lecturer in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

You can sign up via the FAWCO website or the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0yjL1u1DSfSR5FTNaP5n7g#/registration

REWILDING AND TREE PLANTING IN SCOTLAND

FAWCO’s Environment Team is thrilled to offer an opportunity to all FAWCO members to be a part of the rewilding of the Caledonian forest in Scotland. The Environment Festival will take place October 28-31, 2025 at the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre. Activities include:

  • nighttime bioluminescent walk through the forest led by Will Hall, wildlife expert and filmmaker;

  • bushcraft fire starting and bannock making;

  • dyeing with lichens over fire;

  • special viewing of the film Ocean with David Attenborough;

  • hiking options;

  • and, of course, rewilding and tree planting!

The cost of the program is £556 for room, full board, and all activities.

Link to Dundreggan Rewilding Centre: https://visitdundreggan.co.uk/

PREPARED BY IRENE WOODBURY, FAWCO REP