12 March 2014- The Society of Foreign Consuls (SoFC) in New York City held the celebration of International Women’s Day at the Consulate of Poland in New York last March 8. 

Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka welcomed the guests to their Midtown Manhattan building.  She expressed delight in hosting the celebration this year, the fourth time that the Society is holding it in New York. 

Philippine Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr., President of SoFC gave the keynote address in front of about 180 attendees, consisting of diplomats in New York City, businesspersons, media practitioners, and friends and family of the honorees.  He underscored the importance of celebrating the contribution of women in the society and the world.  He further elaborated that our society have come a long way in giving equal rights to women in political exercise, economic pursuits, and community affairs.  Highlighting that New York is the ultimate melting pot of cultures, all must be respectful of each one’s character, liberties, and roles, regardless of gender.  He acknowledged the ten women honorees who displayed dedication in their craft and gave their heart to their advocacies, making them worthy of being recognized. 

The recipients of the Achievement Awards were nominated by their respective Consulates and were presented with a plaque from the Society. 

Ms Milka Zepina, an anti-communist and anti-war activist who moved to the United States from Croatia when she was still a child, was instrumental in getting the Croatian language to be included in Queens College’s curriculum.  She is very active in the Croatian community in New York and organizes the Croatian Independence Day in New York every year.

Born to Greek parents in Brooklyn, New York, Cyprus nominee Ms Effie Lekas was a member of the International Coordinating Committee/Justice for Cyprus in the 80’s.  She is also a founding member of the Greek American Women’s Network, and is presently the Assistant Director for the Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at Queens College Center.

An accomplished gallery director, Valentina Castellani represents Italy, the country of her parents and her childhood, in the shows she has organized for Sotheby’s London and Gagosian New York. 

Kazakhstan native Mrs. Azhara Mestler is an active member of the Kazakh American Alliance. She assists Kazakh immigrants in New York providing advice in law, art and information technology.  

Nigerian nominee Khuraira Musa owns and operates a boutique in New Jersey, developed a makeup line for women of all colors and ages.  She supports breast cancer survivors, sickle cell anemia research, and education programs for African youth.

Philippine nominee Menchu Sanchez, a registered nurse, was hailed by President Barrack Obama as a hero during his State of the Union Address in 2013, after Sanchez successfully transported 20 infants in critical care at the pediatrics unit of the New York University Langone Medical Center during hurricane Sandy.  She is an active member of the Filipino community in New York, and a volunteer of the Philippine Consulate General’s Warden System, designed to provide assistance to citizens in distress.  She attended the awarding ceremony with her mother Simona Rea de Luna and her youngest daughter Michelle Jude. 

A beneficiary of the Clinton green card lottery, Polish Karolina Zmarlak moved to the US in 1992 and pursued her career in fashion.  After working for Carolina Herrera and theory, she now has her own designer ready-to-wear line available in major New York department stores.

Marina Adamovich, Ph.D. from the Russian Federation is the organizer and curator of the Russian Documentary Film Festival in New York.  She is a journalist by profession and was the first female editor-in-chief of the oldest Russian émigré publication, The New Review.

Another honoree working for healthcare, Katarina Novakova from Slovakia serves as an Executive Board Member of a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the quality of medical care in impoverished areas around the world. 

The tenth honoree, Dr. Pinar Atakent from Turkey, is the Chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Long Island College Hospital and is responsible for building up bridges between her native country and the United States.  Many Turkish physicians and medical students were able to receive training at her department.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney graced the event as well.  As a woman representing New York in Congress, she is very proud to be the voice of influential and inspiring women that work hard for their community and their advocacies.  Mr. Thomas Gallo, Director of the Office of Foreign Missions of the US Department of State was also in attendance to give his support to the Society.  END