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Since becoming the Queen of Royal Seleucid it has become my opinion more than ever that Mundus is a world shaped by women. We live in a time when more nations than ever have Heads of State who are women, such as Queen Klara of Lodja and Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima. Furthermore we have nations with women Heads of Government such as Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn of East Moreland. Yet it is not these women who shape Mundus, it is those who maybe do not command such authority who shape our world. It is the mother and wife who control a families budget, yes in many nations it is the man who is the primary bread winner but they hand their money over to the woman of the house who goes and spends it as wisely as possible to provide everything the family needs. When a member of the family is ill it is the women of the house who act as carers, despite often being ill themselves. A child spends more time with its mother than any other person in its formulative years and so the mother passes on her morals, her expectations and much more. It is therefore true that Mundus is a world shaped by women.
Yet while we celebrate these everyday heroes who give us the world we live in there are those women who inspire others to do more than they believed possible to ensure a brighter future for themselves, their families and even the whole of Mundus, while juggling the expectations of womenhood. Take Musaevna Kadyrov from Tamora, a women helping steer a multi-billion dollar business empire towards success while still finding time to have raised three children. We have Samira Hanifnejad, a Tamoran film director winning awards and making inspiring masterpieces in an industry dominated by men. In science we have great heroines, one of Mundus most experienced astronauts is East Moreland's Rachel Dixon who has visited the Moon's surface twice and inspired girls across her homeland to study sciences. Fairuza Kuto followed in Rachel's footsteps, not only overcoming the prejudice women in science can face but also the improbability of coming from one of our worlds poorest nations and becoming the first Zimalian in space. Should I have a daughter I know she could follow in the footsteps these trailblazers have forged.
In the sports world we have Sammy Lawson and Daisy Greechan and their back and forth swings to be the Greatest Athlete in Mundus history, not greatest women, but simply the greatest. Add to that Midshipman Oficer Greechan is a decorated military officer and again we have fine examples for the future. In religion women set even more examples, be it the many Priestesses following in the footsteps of generation after generation of wisdow or the case of Reverned Mother Erin McGregor, a young woman tasked with guiding her faith back to the world's thoughts despite prejudice, misinformation and her young age.
It is when things go wrong in life that women are among the first to suffer, but among the first to raise to the challenge. Take the example of Lodjain Katerina Ignatiev. Despite the obstacles of her birth she did what was within her power to educate herself far beyond her socially prescribed station and is now a successful business woman and author helping pull other women out of the class confines they are born into. It was such a shame an intelligent and determined young woman is forced to give away her morality just to provide a better Life fir herself and her family. It is women such as her we must raise out of danger and with this in mind I hope to introduce the International Women's Council to give women a strong voice in the International Community so that in the same way a mother protects and nourishes her family women can protect and nourish each other and thus make Mundus thrive.
I therefore will be hosting an initial meeting of the Council and a celebration of inspirational women in the Palace at Ipsus. It is my hope women will come, tell their stories, share their ideas and help form this Council.
Regards
Queen Chyrssa of Royal Seleucid.
OOC- No sign ups etc, I've mentioned this idea to a few people so do have some characters I know are coming. They shouldn't neccessarily be government officials etc, so for example Daisy Greechan is attending as a private individual.
The Palace had over the last two days been turned literally upside down, the King had left for his honeymoon with Queen Haniyah whom he had married just a week earlier and as such that left Chryssa the run of the huge red stone building. The lawns and gardens were crossed with several small canals irrigating the lush gardens that sat in contrast the the dusty arid streets that surrounded it. Room had been prepared for some of the guests, mainly those Chryssa approved of, such as those from Tamora and even Olivia Robertsson from Nya Aland. Others however, such as the one time prostitute from Lodja had been found rooms in a nearby 5-star hotel. Chryssa suspected some would even fly in the morning of the conference but wasn't really concerned by that.
The weather was as usual opressively hot and even at 9am, the appointed hour for arrivals, the heat haze was already shimmering away. The Queen had ensured that a large canopy had been set up over the veranda, there was a kind of banked semi circle of seats capable of sitting close to 100 women. It had been designed to look something a little like what an ancient Senante may have looked like somewhere like Neu Urburzis. At the foot of the bank was a kind of stage and a lectern where speakers could address the crowd. A TV crew, specially selected and made up of women stood ready to transmit the conference across Mundus on the internet and Princess Afrodhiti, King Heydar's sister, sat behind a long desk facing the crowd, she would be managing the scribes and civil servants who would be carrying out any paperwork or admin that would be required.
The first to arrive was Daisy Greechan who had stayed overnight in the hotel down the road. She had, as requested, arrived in her Naval uniform, the officer rank slides freshly added to her uniform and a new officers sword on her hip. Her Distinguished Service Cross twinkled from the quick polish she'd given it this morning. She was a tall woman, much taller than Chryssa and the pair meet Daisy snapped a smart salute. "Your Royal Majesty thank you for this invitation." Daisy formally.
"Midshipman Greechan......may I call you Daisy" Chryssa asked but didn't wait for the answer, "Its delightful to welcome you to the Palace, the first Morelander to visit since the unfortunate last visit by Morelanders" Chryssa watched Daisy shift awkwardly as the tall officer recalled the East Moreland operation that had for 24 hours captured the Palace. "Just one medal today? I was hoping to see your full collection but they'll be time for that later. Please come and take a minted tea with me." There was a large silver and glass jug of iced mint tea waiting for the guests and Chryssa poured some for Daisy signalling for her to sit.
"Thank you Ma'am" Daisy said taking her peaked cap off and cursing to herself that the naval uniform was rather warm for a day such as today. "I look forward to seeing where we can help." she sipped the tea and found it nicer than she expected.
"I do to." Chryssa said as the pair sat and exchanged small talk.