Arial view of Independence Square, Kyiv. Image courtesy  of Liz Cruickshank.

Just over 10 years ago, a large contingent of NCWNZ members attended a wonderful International Council of Women (ICW) General Assembly in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Amongst our contingent were:
Vivienne Boyd
Dame Miriam Dell
Dame Jocelyn Fish
Dame Janet Hesketh
Dame Alison Roxburgh
Dame Laurie Salas
Dame Dorothy Winstone

Others in our kiwi contingent included our President Grace Hollander, Beryl Anderson, Barbara Arnold, Liz Cruickshank, Christine Knock, Jane Pritchard, and Jean Corbin Thomas. Liz Cruickshank was Convenor of the Mass Media Standing Committee for ICW and she presented a report to the Assembly.

Some of the NZ contingent at ICW General Assembly. Dame Miriam Dell (left) and Dame Janet Hesketh (right) are seated on this side of the table in the foreground. Image courtesy of Liz Cruickshank.

The Ukrainian hosts were superb and very kind to all us delegates, visitors and Diplomats. None of the very large gathering of Diplomats, Ukrainian government representatives, and ICW delegates from around the world had any premonition that our wonderful hosts from Ukraine would suffer so shockingly at the hands of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, only 10 short years later. How sad that Putin has wrought such havoc on its beleaguered citizens. It is a shocking and inhumane series of events that we deplore.

Local dancers entertained the 2011 General Assembly. Image courtesy of Liz Cruickshank.

We send our love and condemnation of the dark events of the Russian invasion that have befallen those kindly and hospitable citizens of Kyiv.

How fortunate we are to live in peace in our multicultural, small island country of New Zealand.

To read more articles from The Circular (issue 635) click on the tag below.