{"id":854,"date":"2015-03-22T01:43:12","date_gmt":"2015-03-22T01:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mediarhetoric.com\/blog\/?p=854"},"modified":"2015-03-22T03:08:03","modified_gmt":"2015-03-22T03:08:03","slug":"international-women-of-courage-awards-celebrate-women-history-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mediarhetoric.com\/blog\/international-women-of-courage-awards-celebrate-women-history-month\/","title":{"rendered":"International Women of Courage Awards: Celebrate Women’s History Month #IWOC"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do you celebrate Women’s History Month? You attend the International Women’s Courage Award ceremony at The State Department.<\/p>\n

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Thank you Hannah Lyons\u00a0(far left) for gathering a group of \u00a0unique women to Meetup. We had such a great time learning and sharing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n<\/a>On March 6, 2015, I attended\u00a0the International Women of Courage Awards at the U.S. Department of State. The State Department folks were very informative and transparent about their goal to engage citizens in new ways.<\/p>\n

The one intention I have observed\u00a0by both The White House<\/a> and The State Department<\/a> is that they want to \u00a0to inform and share information with citizens–the digital citizen. The use of digital technology allows the federal government\u00a0to talk to a\u00a0citizen directly rather than through news organizations. This is the first time in history that the federal government can use technology to have two-way conversations with citizens with ease.<\/p>\n

The State Department\u00a0seems\u00a0proactive when it comes to social media use\u00a0because it\u00a0appears they\u00a0try\u00a0to ensure\u00a0they are everywhere on social media to help guide citizens to the proper information about foreign policies and issues. I have a long list of social media sites at the bottom of this post where you can find the State Department online. I was impressed to find they even hold Google hangouts with citizens about issues around the world. They even create Twitter hashtags to encourage observers to partake in the conversation.<\/p>\n

As with all new technology, there’s a learning curve–even for the federal government. Mistakes will happen, but it’s what we all learn from those mistakes that make all of us better in understanding the limitations to the technology we use. The federal government it appears\u00a0takes this approach as well. But to reach different audiences–an audience who will intelligently contribute-is about creating content that engages a conversation. One such conversation the State Department is willing to have is about the treatment of women around the world.<\/p>\n

Former Secretary of State Condoleeza\u00a0Rice started International Women’s Courage Awards in 2007.\u00a0This ceremony celebrates ten women from around the world who have made a difference in women’s issues.<\/p>\n

Each year, the State Department also selects a few social media gurus to attend the International Women of Courage Award ceremony.<\/p>\n

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Deputy Secretary Higginbottom Poses for a Photo With IWOC Meetup Participants
Deputy Secretary of State Heather Higginbottom poses for a photo with participants in the Department of State\u2019s Meetup for the International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award Ceremony at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on March 6, 2015. [State Department photo\/ Public Domain]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The International Women of Courage Award Winners<\/h3>\n

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