Date: 27 SEPTEMBER 2013

Title: Queenstown Set to Host Influential Women’s Conference

A women’s advocacy organisation is set to attract more than 160 influential women from around New Zealand to its conference in Queenstown next week. For the first time ever, the international representative will be New Zealand’s own Lynn McKenzie, currently International President and the first Kiwi to head up the organisation.

The theme for the biennial Zonta conference, which runs from 26 – 29th September is “Empowering women – inspiring futures”. The conference brings together women from 23 clubs around New Zealand to be inspired, to discuss current issues and to network. Insurance company Asteron Life is the key sponsor of the event which is being held at the Heritage Hotel.

Nadine Tereora, Asteron Life’s Executive Manager of Claims and Underwriting says, “We are very pleased to be able to support a community organisation that is all about inspiring women. Tereora who is presenting at the conference, also said “Zonta’s work aligns well with Asteron Life’s philosophy of helping people Celebrate Life. We want to enable people to live with confidence and Zonta have a real focus on that too. ”

The conference has a number of highly acclaimed guest speakers including Dr Marilyn Waring who, in 1994 was named as one of the leading cult figures of the 20th Century by an Australian magazine and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She was the first Minister of Parliament to speak up on women’s issues and for a time “carried” the flag almost on her own in parliament.

Despite planning to pull back from the international speaking circuit Marilyn was thrilled to be asked to be a keynote speaker the conference. “We are delighted she accepted our invitation,” Holsted says. “When we approached her she mentioned how much she appreciated the supportive letters she received from members of Zonta during her tenure in Parliament.”

Zonta is an organisation of women executives and professionals working to advance the status of women worldwide. Conference chair Liz Holsted says, “Our aim is to address some of the most pressing needs facing women, and advocate on women issues at all levels of society.”

Internationally Zonta has more than 30,000 members and is active in 64 countries of the world. Zonta International has a long and well respected history of partnership in conjunction with the United Nations agencies and maintains consultative status on women issues with the UN, and Council of Europe.

Another keynote speaker is Dr Jennifer Curtin, an Associate Professor of Auckland University who whose topic is: "Women's Pathways to Political Power - Lessons from United States”. Jennifer has published widely on women's political representation and her current research focuses on women's legislative careers and political leadership in the Anglo-American world.

For more information on the Zonta Conference schedule please click here.

ENDS

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