(Vancouver, Canada) — Delegates from Argentina, Sri Lanka, India, Nigeria, Haiti, Belgium and many more countries will share their work and struggles in what is shaping up to be an historic international women‚s conference, entitled "Towards our Liberation: an international women's conference against imperialist war and plunder" on the 1st to 4th of November, 2002, in Vancouver, Canada. Seats are limited for this important conference intent on highlighting and advancing women's role in the pursuit of national and social liberation. Interested participants should register before October 25, 2002, the registration deadline.Liza Maza, of GABRIELA, and Lee Maracle, of the Sto:Loh Nation, will address delegates in the conference keynote speeches. Conference conveners Grassroots Women and GABRIELA-Philippines hope their presentations will inspire women to join and build the movement against imperialism and wars of aggression.

Maza is an elected congresswoman in the Philippines from the national progressive political party, BAYAN MUNA (People First). Her speech will tackle the worldwide resistance of women against war and imperialism, based on her experience as the Secretary General of GABRIELA, a 20,000 member strong national women‚s organization. The second keynote speaker, Lee Maracle, an award winning author, teacher and activist from Sto:Loh Nation, will also address the historic and contemporary fights in opposition to warfare and imperialism with particular regard for Indigenous women.

"This international women's conference comes at a critical time in responding to US-led wars on Third World countries and the intensification of imperialist globalization," explains Monica Urrutia, a member of Grassroots Women. "Women of the Third World suffer the most immediate impacts from these inhumane attacks. This conference will join our voices of resistance to the war on Third World countries and working class women around the world."

Starting on the morning of November 1st, 2002, the conference plenary and workshops will focus on four themes: wars of aggression and the struggle for a just and lasting peace; imperialist globalization and the attacks on women‚s democratic rights; fundamentalism and its attacks on women; and the role of women in the struggle for national and social liberation. The conference will culminate in a march and rally entitled "Marching towards our liberation‰ on November 4th at 12 noon, starting at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Robson Street.

This international women‚s conference will be an exciting and valuable opportunity for delegates to learn from speakers and other participants. A conference registration form can be downloaded from the website of Grassroots Women: http://grassrootswomen.tripod.com. For further information, please contact Grassroots Women at 604.215.1905 / grassrootswomen@tripod.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Rosen. Grassroots Women, 604.215.1905