By Janine Devine

Women around the world face different challenges, but together we unite to tackle shared struggles and connect at global events. 

I’ve been writing about travel in one form or another my entire adult life. Whether to recommend a hotel, a destination,  or a service, it’s always been about locations and things. 

For a more impactful trip, here is a full year of annual events to plan for that will excite you in ways a city tour or sandy beach never will.  These events are for the empowerment of women, and you can take part. 

January Events for Women

Women’s March on Washington 

ONGOING – VIRTUAL

Organized to harness women’s political power for governmental change, the Women’s March on Washington started in 2017. In mere years, the event has globalized. Barriers to social, economic, and cultural equality are greater in other countries, and the now virtual march focuses on more than the United States government. In 2021, the global community was the center point. Iconic hats once knitted for the frosty Washington DC weather evolved to sewing masks. 

Spin-off “Stitch & Bitch” events popped up regionally. Find and join one or create your own wherever you are to be a part of this modern legacy. Whether you’re in San Francisco or Tel Aviv, you can partake in a collective group for women’s empowerment in government. 

Even outside of the Women’s March organization’s own tools, people use social media to plan Stitch & Bitch events in the same spirit anywhere. 

February Events for Women

International Women’s Conference

FEBRUARY 10 TO 13 – SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

The International Women’s Conference (IWC) is a multi-day event sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to create a better understanding of its tenets, lifestyle, and philosophy and promote its benefits for the sobriety needs of women. 

There has been an annual IWC conference every year since 1965, which makes this event our oldest. The upcoming event scheduled for February 10-13, 2022 in Santa Fe, New Mexico is currently listed as “Sold Out”. 

Still, if AA has provided impact, meaning, and inspiration in your life, register for the Virtual version or follow them for information on the 2023 event.

March Events for Women

International Women’s Day

MARCH 8 – VARIOUS

There’s no shortage of events, either one-off or annual, in observance of International Women’s Day on March 8th. The first IWD was in 1911 and attracted over 1 million supporters of all genders. Since then, the event has evolved and International Women’s Day is celebrated all month long at local, regional, and national levels. 

Seek out a local or regional event to interact directly with the women in your community on this widely recognized day (and month). 

Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit

TBA – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 

An event for women and vacation in one, head to Las Vegas for the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit. The 2022 dates and venue have not been announced yet, but the conference is about professional leadership and development for all women, but especially for black women. 

It attracts – as well as awards – women in Law and Government, Entertainment and Media, Education, Science, Technology and Medicine, Manufacturing, and other industries. Annually, the event sees approximately 1,000 attendees for its conferences.  

In addition to supporting career development, there is an examination of corporate trends on workplace diversity and networking that remains unsurpassed.

April Events for Women

Global Woman’s Leadership Summit

APRIL 22 TO 23 – NEW YORK CITY (2021) 

New York City is hosting the Global Woman’s Leadership Summit this year. Aspiring (and existing leaders) are inspired at this women’s summit dedicated to leadership roles from CEO to manager. Experiential workshops and focus groups with industry leaders provide tips and tricks on topics like leveraging personal strengths, dealing with conflict in the workspace, and building high-performing work environments. 

The 2021 dates are April 22 to 23 in New York City. Next year will see new dates and a new host city. 

May Events for Women

International Women’s Forum

MAY 18 TO 20 – SANTIAGO, CHILE

The International Women’s Forum champions women’s equality and works tirelessly to advance women’s leadership across many industries and in many nations. 

The organization itself is comprised of 7000 women across six continents and 33 nations. They provide training opportunities along with fellowships to mobilize potential catalysts of change to build a world where “leadership has no gender.”  They specialize their advocacy in networking and mentoring attendees with a focus on current events. 

Their next leadership conference is scheduled for May 18-20, 2022 in Santiago Chile. In the meantime, watch recordings from the 2020 virtual event. 

June Events for Women

Pride Month

JUNE – VARIOUS

June is traditionally Pride month around the globe, with parades and parties in major cities nearly everywhere. You don’t need to identify as part of the LGBTQ community to participate; all are welcome and it’s delightful to see grandparents with their grandchildren. In some cities, entire families sitting in a café or looking out from their balconies enjoying brunch or running alongside along the parade route.  A quick Google search will return any number of parades or events.

Juneteenth

JUNE 19 – VARIOUS

In the US, Juneteenth, or June 19th, commemorating one of the final acts of the emancipation of slaves, also sees month-long events in remembrance. Most of these are small, community-based festivals that are an important part of the summer season, like in Buffalo and the Niagara Region of New York. Juneteenth is often marked by family reunions, making it easy to create your own event or join one hosted by a neighbor or relative.

Global Female Leaders Summit

JUNE 20 TO 22 – BERLIN, GERMANY 

Celebration and remembrance may not part of your agenda, so I present the June 20-22 (2021) Global Female Leaders Summit in Berlin, Germany. This year’s agenda pulls together keynote speakers and thought leaders from the global academic, government, industrial, and tech worlds,  from all corners of the globe to address what are quite uncertain times.  With speakers this year representing media, and aviation, and a focus on sustainability,  the agenda is sure to be a diverse one.  The venue itself is the esteemed Adlon Kempinski, a hotel that is rich in history and ideally situated diagonal to the equally historic Brandenburg Gate. View details and their pricing online. 

July Events for Women

Women Empower X

JULY 31 – WASHINGTON, DC (2021) 

Women Empower X (WEX) in Washington, DC is the fourth year of this event that typically takes place in April. The arrival of COVID had other plans for the April 2020 event, but WEX intends to occupy the Walter E. Washington Convention Center again on July 31st, 2021. 

Connecting Entrepreneurs with Opportunities is WEX’s catchphrase, and the event brings together the most powerful women across fields and industries to share their knowledge and experience to inspire the next generation – of any age – with what they need to achieve their dreams as entrepreneurs.

August Events for Women

Women Deliver

TBA

Although the Women Deliver is actually a tri-annual event without a consistent venue or date, we couldn’t keep this non-profit org off our list as its reach is truly global, attracting hundreds of speakers and thousands of attendees. The conference. which focuses on the organization’s aim of promoting sustainability and gender equality, is on many a country’s wish list to host, with bidding wars that could rival those of the Summer Olympics.  

There’s a site dedicated to the 2023 dates and a dedicated newsletter for information as it comes out. 

September Events for Women

National Women of Color Empowerment Conference

SEPTEMBER 11 – FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Weekly, Women Lead broadcasts on a personal growth and lifestyle show on a local CW network station in South Florida. Annually, the Women of Color Empowerment Institute brings guest speakers and attendees from across the nation together to inspire, develop, and support women business owners and women entrepreneurs with its annual National Women of Color Empowerment Conference in Fort Lauderdale. 

October Events for Women

Women in Tech Festival

OCTOBER 10 TO 13 – SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

The Women in Tech Festival, San Jose, California will take place on October 10-13, 2021, though their venue is to be advised. The festival provides women in technology, in particular engineers, with networking opportunities in hundreds of companies that are committed not just to innovation, but to inclusion. The event is very personal, providing networking opportunities for attendees with companies. It also supports start-ups and small business,  encourages mentorships, and facilitates building support networks. You’ll find scheduled topics on practical and soft skills, like finding financing and reducing stress.

November Events for Women

TedX Women

TBD – NEW YORK CITY & LOS ANGELES 

TedX Women was first a bi-coastal one-day event New York City and LA in 2011 which brought together a very diverse group of internationally renowned women and a few men to talk about gender equality, women’s rights, and empowerment. From there, it blossomed across the globe, re-inventing itself to focus on the challenges of smaller cities and even campuses. These events expanded beyond the November time frame.  Although this year’s date is still listed as TBA, we’re slotting this for the month in which the event has been held most frequently. 

Live or virtual or a combination of both? There’s always an in-person thrill but TED talks have always been about ideas worth sharing and acting upon.

December Events for Women

Trust Women Conference

TBA – LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM 

The flagship event of the philanthropic arm of global media giant Thompson Reuters is the Trust Women Conference. Held annually in London, this meeting brings attendees and speakers from over 60 countries around the world – government leaders, Nobel Prize winners, scientists,  and

Highlights of the most crucial elements of the 2020 virtual conference are online. Although dates and specifics about 2021 are still to be advised, the historical and cultural richness of London makes the city a great destination.

Women for Women

There is never a shortage of events and meet-ups around the world that bring women together. 

Whether these events were designed to educate, inspire, or embolden, they are invaluable in facilitating networking that will later aid attendees in realizing their dreams.

Perhaps the best ones are those that have yet to be created. Each conference and convention on this list can spur ideas for others in both broader as well as more refined contexts to shape their futures. Take a step back and think about planning your own event. Connect with other business leaders. “Well, I’m not an influencer” or “I’m not a leader,” you might say to yourself. So, become one. Women create, inspire, and empower others all the time. It’s time to do the same for yourself.