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Messages from UNIFEM Supporters

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
The transformation that has taken place in the lives of Afghan women over the past four years is owed to the resilience and determination of Afghan women and men, and to the valuable support they have received from the international community. I thank UNIFEM and all other international organisations without whose help this global effort to empower the Afghan women would not have succeeded.

H.R.H. Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, Ambassador, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Chair, UNIFEM Consultative Committee
Humanity will never truly advance unless it ceases treating women, as well as the challenges they face, casually — often catering to them and their needs only for the sake of political expediency (when requiring the women's vote at election time, for example) and not because it understands that women have rights and aspirations equal to those of men. If only we can realize that simple point, and react to it accordingly, it would stand as the first notable, great achievement of the twenty-first century. To support UNIFEM is tantamount to moving humanity decisively in that direction.

Lidia Bastianich, Felidia Restaurant
As a woman, a mother, a businesswoman and a professional I have been blessed: I have been given the opportunity and the freedom to pursue and achieve my goals. This blessing I do not take lightly, for there are millions of women around the world for whom opportunity and freedom do not exist. UNIFEM is committed to changing that. I applaud the goals of this extraordinary organization and want to do all I can to support it.

Angelo Vivolo, Vivolo Restaurants
This is my fifth time working on behalf of UNIFEM. My involvement is even more important to me now than it was 10 years ago when Lidia and I co-chaired our first UNIFEM fund raiser. It was then that I became aware of UNIFEM's commitment to women in need, and I feel privileged to do my small part to help today. I am especially excited to see how Nicole Kidman's involvement as Goodwill Ambassador will raise the visibility of UNIFEM's critical work. I will continue to support UNIFEM and its mission for I believe that when you work with UNIFEM you work for the women of the world.