ICDO

My message to leaders at the #COP30 Climate Conference: We can choose to lead – or be led to ruin. Choose speed, scale & solidarity. Choose to make this the turning point. Stand with science. Stand for justice & future generations.

Short film alert: A glow-worm’s desperate search for love is disrupted by mankind’s obsession with light💡 🗓️Sunday September 28th, 14:00 CEST 📍@icdo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">youtube.com/@icdo #ICDO #SafeguardingDiversity #StrangersInTheDark #ShortFilm #LightPollution #EnvironmentalAwareness

On September 23rd, join us at Vienna’s Rathaus Festsaal for the Costumes of the World Show! Experience 190+ traditional outfits from 35+ countries, enjoy global cuisine, and support the Maya Voice Project. ✨ Get your tickets today: eventbrite.co.uk/.../icdos-cost…...

ICDO President Josipa Palac proudly joined the @INTGenderChamps 10th anniversary meeting at VIC— celebrating a decade of impact, collaboration, and commitment to gender equality. Congratulations on 10 inspiring years of championing change! 💫👏 #GenderChampions #ICDO

Great meeting at the Yunus Emre Institute! 🤝 @yeeorgtr We’re excited to host the Art Exhibition during #LongNightsOfInterculturality2025 on Sept 25 at their gallery for the 8th time. Thank you for the warm welcome and shared vision! #ICDO #CulturalPartnership #YunusEmre

🌍 It’s happening! Long Nights of Interculturality 2025 is set for Sept 22–28! Join us for a week of cultural exchange, art, and celebration of diversity. 🎉 #LongNightsOfInterculturality #ICDO #SafeguardingDiversity #CultureMatters

Last night in Vienna, we explored 🇲🇽 “Mexico in Every Sense”—a vibrant exhibition by 16-year-old students from Colegio Hebreo Monte Sinai. Hosted at the Mexican Cultural Institute. Gracias to @EmbaMexAua for this inspiring experience! 🌎✨ #Mexico #YouthVoices #CulturalExchange

The arts unite us all. ICDO celebrates diverse creative expressions that break cultural barriers & foster mutual respect. Yesterday, we attended Tara, Let’s! The Art Festival at the Philippine Embassy in Austria, where Filipino artists showcased their talent.@PHinAustria

"80% of Afghanistan's artisans, many women, have lost their livelihoods. The Taliban dismissed Nowruz as ‘pagan’ and criminalized artistic expression, eroding the country’s cultural identity." @JosipaPalac #VoicesOfResilience

For Afghan women, Nowruz has always been a moment of visibility, preparing samanak, singing, gathering in shared spaces. Now, even these traditions are under threat. But women continue to resist, keeping Nowruz alive." @BakhtariManizha #Nowruz

"The Taliban’s ban on Nowruz isn’t just about a festival,it’s an attempt to erase Afghanistan’s cultural identity. But no regime can silence centuries of tradition. Nowruz lives on, even in secret." @BakhtariManizha Watch the video on our Instagram. instagram.com/reel/DHav18SoZ…

"Autocrats and the Taliban fear educated women, knowing their weapon is education. Women in Afghanistan and the diaspora are organizing underground schools, leading the resistance. Change will come from their resilience."@EditSchlaffer #VoicesOfResilience

International responsibility needs coherence. Afghan women, wherever they are, don’t just need our support, pity, or solidarity.They need a voice, a platform, representation, and real empowerment.@natmeli #VoicesOfResilience

"No single organization can tackle the many challenges Afghan women face today. But by combining resources, expertise, and advocacy, we can create real opportunities for them and keep this issue high on the agenda. Let’s work together for this common fight."@LScarpitta_OSCE

"The world is increasingly ready to negotiate with the Taliban, but it's naive to think they can be trusted. They broke their promises and can’t be relied on. You don’t negotiate with terrorists." @farhatariana #VoicesOfResilience

"I witnessed in Kandahar how men also willingly want to fight for their daughters, sisters, and mothers. A just society benefits all. This fight is by and for women, but also for the whole society, with many allies."@pepinhalle #VoicesOfResilience

"Imagine a country rich in history, nature, and resources, at war with its own women. Why invest in a war against those who aren’t your enemy? The war against women is a system of oppression. The Taliban erased women from public life." – @BayrPetra #VoicesOfResilience

At the panel #VoicesOfResilience Amb @BakhtariManizha stated, "A 25% rise in child marriage, a 55% surge in adolescent pregnancy, and an increase in maternal mortality,this is the cost of gender apartheid. It must be recognized as crimes against humanity."

2/2 that the fight for women’s rights is also a fight for cultural heritage: "Without culture, there is no identity, and without identity, there is no future."

1/2 We are grateful to Ms. @JosipaPalac, President & CEO of @ICDOat, for joining us as a panelist at Voices of Resilience: The Women of Afghanistan and the Global Fight for Equality. Her speech underscored the vital connection between culture and identity, reminding us ⬇️