International Women's Day 2012: Recognizing Progress, Voicing Support

WORLD -- March 8, 2012 at 7:34 PM EDT

International Women's Day 2012: Recognizing Progress, Voicing Support

At an International Women's Day event in Washington, D.C., first lady Michelle Obama emphasized a message she said she hoped all women would hear: "Injustice will not stand. We will not stay silent in the presence of evil. ... You are not alone."

The Thursday event hosted by the State Department honored women from 10 countries who are working to improve the situation for women around the globe.

"Women around the world you have to trust yourselves. Without you, your community could not achieve their dreams," said Tawakkol Karman, one of three women who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.

"Big greeting to the women in Syria who are struggling and fighting for freedom," she said. "Big greeting for women struggling, fighting, sacrificing, bleeding to make their country better."

Read all of the remarks of the day on the State Department's website and view our slideshow of events held around the world, including a soccer tournament in Costa Rica, a fashion show in Iraq and a candlelight vigil in Pakistan.

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