President Salla Tuominen rings the bell for gender equality at Nasdaq in Helsinki

The energy that filled the room was electrifying as I stepped up to ring the bell to open the Nasdaq, and therefore the stock market trading day in Helsinki, Finland, in honor of gender equality and International Women’s Day, celebrated on Saturday, 8 March.

If only we could start every day like today — full of excitement for equality and dedication to accelerate our actions and mission to build a better world for women and girls!

While we cannot maintain the same level of cheers and smiles every day, we can hold true to the values and Zonta Spirit that drive us to bring about change and opportunities for women and girls.

International Women's Day is a special day to highlight Zonta’s aim to achieve gender equality. We must speak up and advocate for women in decision-making positions by making room for them and ensuring their voices are heard. And we must tell the countless stories of the impact of Zonta’s commitments and activities around the globe, specifically through our relationships with the United Nations and Council of Europe during our proud history.

If a ringing alarm at 10:00 AM is not enough of a wakeup call, we have the motivation to do more today if we look at the news. There have been many recent developments in several countries that have raised significant concerns, including a troubling rise in anti-DEI and anti-gender movements, which threaten to roll back the hard-won gains in gender equality in many communities and nations. These movements undermine the progress the women we celebrate today have made, and they pose a serious challenge to achieving the just and equitable society we envision.

I ask you today to join me in celebrating gender equality and to show that even though these anti-gender initiatives and counter-movements continue, now is not the time to sit back and wait for change. As Zontians, we are the change. If you need further inspiration, look to the women who have raised us, mentored us, and grown with us as we continue our journey of building a better world for women and girls.

Be sure to follow us on social media for further inspiration on what it means to stand for equality as Zontians.

Sincerely,
Salla Tuominen
President 2024-2026
Zonta International and Zonta Foundation for Women

07 MARCH 2025