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7TH NATIONAL CONVENTION FEDERATED WOMEN‘S INSTITUTE OF CANADA UNIVERSITY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHARLOTTETOWN June 20-25/76 Information supplied by FWIO‘s ofl‘lcial voting delegates. Mrs. H. Maluske President. Mrs. Earl Mor- den LSccrctarv Treasurer. Mrs. Myrtle Reid. Mrs. Ralph lVlaCN-llll)‘. Mrs. Orval Jordan, Mrs. Melville Wiseman. Mrs. Jack Spurting. Mrs. Keith Hiepleh. Mrs. Donald Jacobs. Mrs. Peggy Hampel. (Mrs. R. Papple was unable to attend because of the air strike.) “Anyone with soil on their shoes will return to the lsland"is a Prince Edward Island saying which is sym- bolic of an unspoken promise. Bouquets to the PEI Convention Committee and the Department tringriculturc and Forestry. All Com- mittees planned well. and worked long hours to pro- vide excellent accommodation and fine facilities for the delegates. There wasn‘t a delegate present who wasn‘t appreciative of their elTorts and left with the hope to return. A job well done! The FWIC Executive and Board members planned :1 Convention to meet the needs of the membership. Well balanced meetings. providing speakers with ideas to help all better understand the work of FWIC. Nu» trition. Canadian Culture and the ACWW. Perhaps as important were the sessions where all might participate. FWIC members looked at the last triennial activities through Focus on the Provinces. The House of Nutrition and the workshops. A special word ofthanks to the Prince Edward Is- land Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the Director of Women's Work Mrs. Elizabeth Grimmett. their efforts Were appreciated by all who attended the Convention. The delegates were thrilled to attend an official opening in the Confederation Centre of the Arts and the theme FOCUS was exemplified through the feel- ing ofwarmth and sense ot'pride generated during the evening. A National organization certainly does have great potential. and in the days ahead delegates worked together to plan directions for the next trien- nium. FACING OUR CHALLENGE Mrs. Olive Farquharson. OBE. President of the ACWW spoke at the official opening of the FWIC Convention in Confederation Centre to a capacity crowd. (a copy of her speech is available from the Loan Library) Excerpts from speech. “It seems most appropriate. therefore. that you have chosen FOCUS as your ‘theme’ for this Conven- tion. for while I know you have Cleverly made this word from the single initial letters of ‘Facing Our Challengesâ€"Unity is Strength' and will. in the days to come. be discussing the ways in which you can inter- pret these challenges in the context of your own com- munities. your Institutes. your Federations and your Country. I hope you will allow me to set a first chal- lenge from the international angle. Could it be that some of this help has stemmed 26 from the 7th Triennial Conference held in TOTDI'I' m I953. when the chosen theme was “How can the t. trywoman. as an individual and through her on take a more active part in international work?“ W certainly grateful to youfiour Canadian memh. for all that you have done to fulfil this objectivt 1n the family of ACWW. as far back as the it century. Finland had an organized group of cm women who played their part in the agricultural Ii their country. probably the first rural women's In the middle of the 19th century women in ,- United States of America were admitted on an i it footing with men into a farmers‘ union group I: was the founding of your own first Women's Inst in 1897 in Stoney Creek that set “spark to tinder i should I say sowed the seed that has blossomed . many parts of the world. for each of societies of i l women and homemakers. while differing in then i particular way oflife. have felt the same stimulus need to improve condition of life for themselves their families and for the communities in which live. In war and in peace. in abundance and in SCiIt these rural women have stood their ground with \. and courage. Today they are ever conscious of th cial and economic evolution which is taking place I am sure you will find this is one ofthe challengek must face. We are living in a world of rapid changeâ€" ideas. new standards of living. so often creating problems and some of them do not please us. problems are a challenge and we must be read tackle them if we are to continue to carry out ideals which were accepted when ACWW came being based on the inspired leadership of many women. For centuries women everywhere have been an - derprivileged section of the community. but this been doubly true of the women in the develoi countries. those poorer countries where 70% of' world‘s people are living on the land. Added to natural difficulties of their lives through poverty. t have been crippled by illiteracy. confined by tribal. ligious and social customs and worn out by execs“ child bearing. work on the land and household In '- dens. It is not easy for women to throw away their (12‘ - old roles and we must never forget that the freed " we are seeking includes “freedom of choice” so that -' woman should feel forced to change her way of it completely. or in part, if she does not wish to do - i