Dear women, I wish you all the best for Women's Day. Let yourself be celebrated and enjoy your own personal day.
Why do we celebrate on 8 March? There are many versions of what tradition the day of remembrance refers to.
In New York, for example, many women workers went on strike on 8 March 1857 because the conditions were harsh and miserable. This was brutally suppressed.
Another story tells of women workers who went on strike for better living and working conditions on 8 March 1908 and were locked in the factory by the factory owners and supervisors to prevent the strike from spreading and to prevent solidarity with other workers. A fire broke out and only a few of the workers escaped.
In 1917, during the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg, there was a demonstration of women workers, which also took place on 8 March.
Regardless of which version is the right one, they all show how important it is to honour this day and not forget what it ultimately stands for.
Yours André Schaller
Mayor