TO ADVANCE the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy, the global organization of executives and professionals has stepped up preparations for the first ever Zonta Club inter-district conference here in Laoag City on September. An estimated 350 delegates from Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines, covering districts 17 and 31 are expected to attend the said conference here. Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Purisima A. Bueno, who is also the Zonta Club’s chairperson for public relations and special events committee said that Laoag City was chosen as the venue of the first inter-district conference of this women executives’ organization, which is also working together in the promotion of gender development particularly on furthering women’s education, leadership and youth movement. In 2005, Bueno recalled that the venue for this year’s Zonta inter-district conference was suggested during the 13th district conference of district 17, which was held in Malaysia where she represented the Zonta Club of Ilocos Norte. With this year’s theme of “Living Together, Growing Together with Zonta,” Bueno said that the organization is quite busy in preparing the affair’s program of activities set from September 14-17, 2007. To finalize the series of activities, the provincial legislator, who is a well-known advocate of women empowerment reported that Governor Virma Vergel de Dios of Zonta Club based in Manila came over to Laoag on June 2 as she met with the sub-chairpersons of at least 25 sub-committees to ensure the smooth flow of preparation, registration and coordination of the series of activities lined up for the conference. “Zonta” is derived from the Lakhota (Teton Dakota) language of the Native American Sioux people, which means honest and trustworthy. It was adopted in 1919 to symbolize the combined qualities of honesty and trust, inspiration and the ability to work together for service and world understanding. A “Zontian” is a member of Zonta Club. Zonta Clubs are members of Zonta International. To ease administration, Zonta International is divided into districts. Clubs are assigned to districts based on their geographical location. Leilanie G. Adriano
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