Women gathered around the world today for the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. At the State Department, First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presented the “Women of Courage Awards” and announced a partnership with 10,000 Women and the successful Goldman Sachs Foundation program that goes into the poorest countries and teaches women business skills.

Monday evening some of the nation’s best women’s advocates were brought together by the ONE campaign, the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, CARE, and the US Advocacy Advisory team Mothers Day Every Day at the home of former ONE chief, David Lane. Dr. Helene Gayle, Sheila Nix, Susan McCue and Theresa Shaver urged the crowd to redouble their efforts on behalf of women. Dana Perino, former Bush White House press secretary led a bipartisan call to action with the help of Barbara Bush and sister Jenna Bush Hager.

Barbara Bush’s Global Health Corp is in the process of selecting their third round of fellows. David Lane, who left the ONE campaign to work with Bill Daley at the White House, caught up with old friends as he accepted their well wishes. First Lady Michelle Obama’s chief of Staff Tina Tchen, and Jen Klein from the State Department’s women’s section, greeted colleagues and friends including Stephanie Psaki (sister of WH deputy communications director Jen Psaki), Jodee Winterhoff, Teri Whitcraft, and Anita McBride – fresh off her First Ladies Conference. David Lane was cheered when he walked into his own home, the location of some of the great advocacy work for women.

WHC Insider Washington Anita McBride, Barbara Bush, CARE, Dana Perino, David Lane, Goldman Sachs, Helene Gayle, Hillary Clinton, International Women's Day, Jen Psaki, Jenna Bush Hager, Jodee Winterhoff, Michelle Obama, Mothers Day Every Day, ONE, Sheila NIx, Stephanie Psaki, Theresa Shaver, Tina Tchen, White Ribbon Alliance

Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist and co-author of “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” used his latest post to remind us all that Mother’s Day is more than just flowers and breakfast in bed.

The column names organizations that are helping to make motherhood safer including White Ribbon Alliance and CARE, part of the coalition that makes up Mothers Day Every Day.

The 2010 WHC Garden Brunch helped raised awareness for maternal mortality and the role mothers play in not only building families but in fostering communities worldwide.

Here is a video with some of the motherly advice shared by a few guests at the brunch.

Happy Mothers Day Every Day from whcinsider on Vimeo.

WHC Insider News CARE, Mothers Day Every Day, Nicholas Kristof, WHC Garden Brunch, White Ribbon Alliance

2009 White House Correspondents Garden Brunch headliners Susan Axelrod (CURE Epilepsy) and Ann Curry (NBC News) led guests in a group tweet for mothers. This year’s brunch will be given in honor of Mothers Day Every Day and CURE Epilepsy.

WHCI Garden Brunch 2009: Mothers Day Every Day from whcinsider on Vimeo.

jdonofrio WHCD 2009 Guests, WHCD History, Washington Events Ann Curry, CURE Epilepsy, Mothers Day Every Day, Susan Axelrod