It has been announced that the 65th International Women’s Congress will take place in Hazelton, Kerlile in June 2021. The IWC has not been held in Kerlile since prior to the nation’s civil war in the 1990s due to concerns about human rights abuses put forward by certain countries. The return of the conference to Kerlile is being celebrated by all elements of Kerlian society, and is thought to have been responsible for the early creation of Kerlile.
At the 1913 conference, a discussion on the foundation of a nation led by women was initiated by Edith Hart, then a citizen of North Fleura whose monarch was sick and had produced no heirs. Hart, who was one of the original organisers for the first IWC in 1893, suggested that a way to move forward in the women’s liberation movement was to form a nation ruled entirely by women. Originally intended as a thought experiment, a number of women began discussing the concept in earnest, eventually leading to the creation of Kerlile as a state after the death of the King of North Fleura.
President Rebecca Arnott addressed a press conference early this morning, saying she was delighted by the decision. “We are thankful that the organisers of the International Women’s Conference have allowed us to host this conference which is close to the hearts of many in Kerlile. This is evidence that our efforts at pushing reform of some of our less inclusive policies are being recognised. We will welcome any and all world leaders who wish to attend the conference, finally being held once more in its home.”
The first conference in 1893 was held in North Fleura, the territory of which is now Kerlile. The biannual conference has been held in a number of cities across the globe since its initial foundation, most recently in Laeral in 2019. All ten Founders of Kerlile were part of the organising committee of the IWC prior to the foundation of the Matriarchy as a sovereign state in its own right. Kerlile has submitted bids to hold the conference often, apart from in 2019 and during the 1990s civil war, but has not been accepted since 1977.
Plans for the conference are already underway, with many venues being booked across the capital and in nearby cities. The Church of the Goddess has announced they will be hosting free fringe events throughout the conference. Invitations to all female Heads of State regardless of the nation in question’s relationship to Kerlile are to be specifically issued by the Council of Kerlile. In Kerlile, this is seen as both an opportunity to improve diplomatic relations – and also, as a celebration.
