Dear Edith

It was such a great pleasure to visit with you last in December 2024, before I left for Finnland, my home country. Maybe we both sensed it could be the last time to have a wonderful chat and exchange views – even if we didn’t always agree, in particular on the role of Russia – me as a Finn, and you as an experienced pacifist – yet, we understood and respected each other.

I always knew that you have been part of my political and WILPF life since the early 1980s, when we re-founded the Swiss section. I remember how you came to many of our Annual Meetings, as a proud member of the Swiss section. For example, on May 16, 2009 in Zurich, it was important to you to explain about your Manifesto for 2015 – our centennary.

I remember The Hague, many Congresses and of course the many times, you were at the UN with Krishna Patel, and you advised me in my other work as human rights defender of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and in particular indigenous women. We share the friendship with Sharon Manyfingers Venne, who honored you as a door-opener for Indigenous Peopes to enter the UN in 1977. As Sharon, you have been my “Vorbild” – my big role model – all my life. Every time I called you to share the activities of WILPF Switzerland, you had encouraging words for me and you gave us strength to continue. You never took something for granted, you taught me so many things, starting as a young WILPF member with the Gertrude Baer Seminar at WILPF-Congresses and then later as WILPF Boardd member of the Swiss section.

I cannot find the right words to thank you for what you have given to the WILPF-community and to me. I will treasure every moment I had the honour to be with you and learn from you, and of course to laugh and share stories together. Farewell, rest in peace – THANK YOU for having been in my life.

Helena Nyberg, WILPF Switzerland, Incomindios