Thank you for being a supporter of the Global Women's Leadership Network.  We are a community of committed people dedicated to: Connecting women leaders all over the world with each other and with vital information  Accelerating the role of women as leaders in all walks of life  Opening possibilities for even the most difficult human issues to be addressed by passionate groups of people acting together  The 2007 Women Leaders for the World  participants have been selected.  They need partners to help fund their transportation, tuition, room and board.  We will be creating Global Partnership Circles to fund specific woman participants.  If you are interested in joining a circle, please email me at lalepin@scu.edu for more information.    We have opportunities open for volunteers interested in helping with our website, travel arrangements and various events throughout the July Women Leaders for the World program.  Please contact Judy Wessler at judywessler@comcast.net.    Linda Alepin, Founding Director, GWLN
IN THIS ISSUE * GLOBAL INNOVATION DIALOGUE * WOMEN WORTHY OF SUPPORT FUNDRAISER REPORT * VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE * TRANSFORMING POLITICAL AMBITION * GWLN DECLARED A WINNER Global Innovation Dialogue Wednesday July 25, 4:30-7:00 PM   "If a team were a human body, information would be the breath, taken from the environment and shared with all internal parts.  Trust would be the blood - carrying the identity-DNA, bringing vitality to all parts,  unnoticed until it is lacking.  How's the trust in your global team, anemic or powerful?" Marian Stetson-Rodriquez Marian Stetson-Rodriguez                  Research shows that building trust is one of the greatest challenges for global and virtual teams.  Yet teams are the cirtical engines for global innovation, production, and speed to market for our organizations.  There are 10 dimensions of trust across cultures that can be assessed and improved in any team.  Learn these 10 dimensions from leading European research, see how you and others may prioritize them differently, and dialog with colleagues for how you can build trust through specific behaviors and breakthrough perspectives. Meet the 20 women Women Leaders of the World participants from Pakistan, Nepal, India, Uganda, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, and the United States and hear about their visions and their breakthrough projects.  Design innovation into your own projects. Marian Stetson-Rodriguez, President of Charis Intercultural Training Corporation, brings years of experience in working with global companies and teaching Cross Cultural Understanding and Managing Global Teams in Santa Clara University's School of Engineering Graduate Program and is a founding faculty for GWLN.    Charis Intercultural Training Corporation provides global leadership, management and team development, and customized intercultural communication programs worldwide.   GLOBAL INNOVATION DIALOGUE Santa Clara University California Mission Room Benson Hall   Wednesday, July 25 4:30 - 7:00 PM For more information or to reserve your seat, click here  www.scu.edu/business/gwln/registration/index.cfm 2007 Women Worthy of Support Fun and Fundraiser Event Report Benefiting the 2007 Women Leaders for the World Our May 21st event, Women Worthy of Support featuring Alma Cota de Yanez, was an inspiring evening.  We thank all of our speakers, donors, and volunteers for making it a success.  We still need to raise more than $30,000 for scholarships and transportation for women from Africa, the Middle East and Asia to be able to participate.  You can help by donating through our online site at http://www.scu.edu/business/gwln/get-involved/.   Thank you for your continuing support.  Volunteer Positions Available There are several opportunities to volunteer with the Women Leaders of the World Program at Santa Clara University July 22 - 29.  Contribute your skills, time and heart to support the courageous social entrepreneurs attending this year's program.  Whether you would like to manage a major event, provide transportation, or assist during the Program, we have an opportunity that will fit your interest.    Please contact Judy Wessler at 408-646-3687 or email: judywessler@comcast.net Quick Links About Us Upcoming Events Donate		TRANSFORMING POLITICAL AMBITION   Annette Mukabera --Uganda   In 2001, Annette Mukabera was appointed by the President of Uganda to become a district representative in the national parliament.  Twenty-eight years old, she was the youngest Member of Parliament and one of the women legislators who, under the constitution, make up one-third of parliament.  The seats reserved for women have made Uganda one of the leading countries in the world in promoting women's political empowerment.  But, as Annette's story shows us, a political career in Uganda does not necessarily mean leadership.   As a parliamentarian, Annette sought to work on Uganda's most critical concern - HIV/AIDS.  She served on the HIV/AIDS Standing Committee and analyzed the impact of all national legislation on Uganda's AIDS crisis.  She is proud of Uganda's progress in confronting AIDS.  She took her work a step further by participating in the Great Lakes Parliamentarians' Forum which brought together legislators from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo.   To become a parliamentarian in Uganda a woman must overcome major obstacles.  To Annette, the most important of these is acquiring an education.  Annette has succeeded in obtaining a B.A. in Political Science and History, a Post Graduate Diploma in Education, and is currently working on her Masters in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies.  She observes that "the thing that I am most proud of is attaining an education despite the difficult times Uganda went through.  The political turmoil and turbulent years were a hindrance to children, especially the girl child.  Poverty and hardships made it impossible for children to go to school; girls saw early marriage as a way out of the situation."    After five years in politics, Annette has now turned to humanitarian affairs.  To encourage women who may be constitutionally empowered but are not culturally encouraged to become leaders, Annette has explored many routes, including school re-entry programs for girls and women, mentoring projects, and self-reliance training for young people living in slums.  For the last year, she has run a nonprofit young people's organization, commenting, "It's a slum based project, aimed at training young people on good nutrition for good health to enable them to stay in school longer and be a part of the decision making process with a quality education."   When Annette's thinks back to the Women Leaders for the World program, she views it as a "learning process that completely changed my life.  The most important thing I learned was 'listening for opportunities' and 'learning to listen.'  Today, I listen to people more.  This was essential for me since, as a politician, I was accustomed to making noise and interrupting those that speak.  Today, in listening for opportunities, I am now able to find greater means of addressing social injustice and help my people.  I listened to the voice that encouraged me to leave politics for a while and serve people without political ambitions."   A politician who gives up on political ambitions?  What an inspiring notion.  Annette could teach politicians everywhere the true meaning of service. GWLN Declared a Winner! Global Women's Leadership Network is proud to announce that we were invited to attend the NetSquared Conference as one of the winners of the NetSquared Contest.  Our thanks to all of the people in our network who voted to make this possible.  As one of the 21 projects highlighted at the May 29th and 30th NetSquared Conference held at Cisco, we were granted $2,777 and have identified a technology partner, Wiser Earth, that will assist in the implementation of interactive social networking elements to our current website.  This will enable us to connect, inform and inspire women around the world and also be part of Wiser Earth's vast international community. We are also grateful to the employees of eBay for honoring us with an eBay community grant of $2,500.