The 100-year anniversary of International Women’s Day brings to mind numbers that mark women’s progress worldwide—half of the world’s workers; the majority of college students in the western world; the growing buying power of women as the majority of consumers in developed economies; the majority of microentrepreneurs globally; and the growing majority of small business owners who underpin the world’s economies. There are now arenas conquered by women as never before that range from sports to science. The recent winter Olympics included many female medalists, which would have been inconceivable 100 years ago and is as inspirational as having three women Nobel Prize winners in science in 2009.

There are other numbers, however, that temper our exuberance over progress made. Women and girls still make up the majority of the poor and the illiterate in many developing economies, the displaced after conflicts or war, the victims of domestic violence worldwide, the low-paid workers in tenuous jobs, and the recipients of ongoing discrimination in many cultures that impede their full participation in leadership roles. There are now women who govern countries, though only ten women presidents worldwide, and while women now run companies, only 15 have reached this position in the 500 largest companies in the world’s largest economy—that of the United States.

What remains unchanged through the highs and lows of women’s history during this centennial is women’s resilience, their strength, their profound commitment to bettering the lives of their families, their creativity in finding solutions through and around barriers they face as they fashion their economic lives and roles in their societies. Rwanda’s women, who now make up the majority of parliamentarians in their country and 40% of its business owners after a horrific period of genocide that took away their men and boys, are a fitting symbol of that resilience and persistence. The Global Summit of Women salutes achievements small or large by women everywhere who manage to succeed in improving their lives and those of their families through victories eked out of enormous efforts. We salute, as well, the women who foster new leadership in their communities, those who bring women along as they rise to power, and those who dedicate their lives to advocate for women in their countries.

Marking its two decades of promoting women’s economic growth within a global economy, the Global Summit of Women celebrates its 20th anniversary in Beijing, China from May 20-22nd. The Summit looks to a future with "Women at the Forefront of Change" as it features women who are leading efforts to improve the environment, corporate governance and social responsibility, political leadership, and entrepreneurial access to the global market. Some of those women include:

Ann Sherry is CEO of Carnival Australia, who never forgot to mentor women along the way to corporate leadership roles. Ms. Sherry began her career in government where she rose to head up the Office of the Status of Women in Prime Minister Keating’s administration. Her commitment to advancing women stayed with her as she moved to the banking world, where she became the first woman CEO of the Bank of Melbourne and, later, the first woman to lead the Bank of New Zealand for Westpac.

In 2004, she received the Order of Australia for her "promotion of corporate management policies and practices embracing gender equity, social justice and work/family partnerships." Her successful career is clearly defined by her caring for people: "I guess my life philosophy is focused on the sort of footprint you leave behind, and I don’t think that a banknote is the sort of footprint I want to leave behind." Ann Sherry is a panelist in a special Summit Luncheon Program on "Leading Diversity from the Top: the CEO Perspective."

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Yang Lan, CEO and Co-owner of Sun Media Group in China, is a well-known media personality who has leads a very successful company that includes several publications, TV shows, and an ever growing website for women, hervillage.com. She is included in many listings of women achievers, both in China and globally, and her recognitions include being one of Fortune magazine’s "International Power 50 Women" and a member of the World Bank’s Private Sector Leadership Forum.

A graduate of Columbia University in New York, Ms. Yang is known as China’s "Oprah" whose audience, however, is far larger given the size of China’s population. Recently, she created a Women’s Achievement Awards in China that is aired on national television, in an effort to make known to Chinese women the accomplishments of women in a variety of areas. She felt the need to showcase role models in a country where women are breaking into a variety of roles. Known for her in-depth interviews of well-known international figures from the Dalai Lama to presidents of many countries, Yang Lan will chair a discussion at the 2010 Summit on "Leading Government’s Reach to Women," which will feature country Vice Presidents and First Ladies.

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First Lady of Tanzania, Her Excellency Salma Kikwete, is a leading advocate of the fight to end cervical cancer in her country, First Lady Salma Kikwete will speak of her efforts at the Summit’s Closing Ceremony. The Global Summit of Women has formed a Global Consortium of Women to End Cervical Cancer, as its signature health initiative to inform women worldwide of steps they can take to end a cancer that only afflicts women and to leave a legacy of a cervical-cancer-free generation. The First Lady has been an outspoken advocate for providing greater social, educational, and economic opportunities for women and children in Tanzania and throughout Africa.