Sydney – November 2021

Dear Friends

I am writing with the exciting news that the book my two friends, Hilary Yerbury and Astrid Escrig-Pinol have been working on for some time, ‘Gender and Learning in Rwanda’ is now available and we are planning a live global virtual book launch on 15 November (2 PM USA EST, 7 PM, London, 9PM Kigali) and 6AM Australia on 16 November.

I hope many of you will be able to join. The program will be linked to page
https://www.empoweringwomenined.org/gender-learning-in-rwanda

Please register in advance for this meeting: https://marymount.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwsd-ypqDgpGdZsFF9chJokoZsI0Eq0Admn

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The event celebrates the publication of the book, to encourage readership, to promote and strengthen programs on gender, culture, and development globally, and to raise scholarship and other support for Rwanda’s masters’ degree program, now housed in the Centre for Gender Studies at the University of Rwanda. Academic authors will briefly talk about their work, students past and present will speak, you will have an opportunity to ask questions, and information about sustaining the work through Empowering Women in Education will be canvassed

The book has been printed by the University of Technology Sydney ePress and is available to read on-line or to print from a PDF and of course is also available for sale. doi.org/10.5130/aag

This book launch has been organised by Professor Sharon Meagher and brought forward at very short notice because of my second major news. I will be having surgery on 17 November for a total knee replacement. I will be in the Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney for a week and then transferring to Walper Repatriation Hospital in Woollahra for the following three weeks. I hope to have my computer back with me then and hopefully can catch up with newsletters when I don’t have any city commitments.

I have not sent a newsletter since January this year. I was away from my apartment in Sydney to escape from Covid lockdowns, spending time with my brothers in Perth for Bill’s 80th birthday, then with Erica in Darwin, Douglas, Julie and Andrew’s families in Canberra, and Ellen, Adam and Alicia in Yellow Rock. I have regularly posted many of the news items that would have been in newsletters in Facebook and other social media. I will certainly send out a Christmas newsletter with news from Douglas, Andrew, Ellen and Erica and their families as usual

I have especially enjoyed my membership of the Union, University and Schools Club this year with my regular use of the Gym with its exercise equipment, pool, spa and sauna. The Club has many interesting activities and I have a valuable friendship group that meets regularly. Last week we had a pleasant lunch to say happy birthday to Rosemary and to wish me well for my surgery next week and quick recovery over the following months. Here is a photo of six of us.

Greetings of love and peace