International Women's Day Conference Workshop

On March 8, 2025, CHAKCHAK Foundation had the honor of participating in the 2025 International Women's Day Conference hosted by Indiana University’s Office of International Services. This year's theme, “Future in Focus: Understanding Women’s Strength & Unlocking Potential”, provided a platform to explore and celebrate the multifaceted roles of women across the globe.

The conference featured a diverse array of workshops and discussions aimed at empowering women through education, leadership, and social justice. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with various topics, from financial wellness and career advancement to supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

Our presentation, CHAKCHAK: Empowering minorities highlighted how women play pivotal roles in preserving and promoting the languages and cultures of the under-represented and under-resourced minority and indigenous communities of the Russian federation. During our presentation, we introduced the non-profit foundation we founded and explained it’s purpose (to foster appreciation for the history, literature, arts, and scholarship of these communities in the U.S. through educational resources, publications, and cultural events and to encourage cooperation, communication, and interaction among the minority communities while advocating for their aspirations and interests), taught attendees about the cultural significance of chakchak through a craft project, and introduced attendees to Chuvash music and fashion via an interactive fashion show.

We were grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful event and to share the stories of minority women from the Russian Federation with the IU community.

For more information about the conference and future events, please visit the Office of International Services website.