Zonta International’s story is woven from a rich fabric of empowerment and progressive change. Today, Zonta International is a global organization of more than 28,000 women and men in more than 1,100 Zonta clubs in 62 countries. In 2019, we celebrated our 100th anniversary and the milestones that made us the organization we are today.
HISTORY TIMELINE
1919 – Confederation of Zonta Clubs founded in Buffalo, New York, USA. Mary Jenkins is elected first president.
1920 – Zonta colors and emblem are adopted and the first issue of The Zontian is published.
1923 – The first international project is funded to care for 115,000 orphan children and women in Smyrna, Turkey.
1927 – The first club outside the U.S. is formed in Toronto, Canada.
1930 – “Zonta International” name is adopted as the first European club is established in Vienna, Austria.
1938 – The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is established in honor of the Zontian after her disappearance in 1937.
1948 – The first Z and Golden Z clubs are founded in Burbank, California, USA.
1963 – Zonta International is granted roster-level status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
1968 – Zonta International elects Helvi Sipilä as the first International President outside of the US. Contributions reach 1 million USD.
1970 – Zonta International elects Angie Brooks-Rudolph as its first International Honorary Member.
1975 – Zonta International President Eleanor Jammal and UN Committee Chairman Harriette Yeckel serve as Zonta’s official delegates to the UN International Women’s Year Conference in Mexico City, Mexico and Helvi Sipilä serves as secretary-general.
1983 – Zonta is granted consultative status with the Council of Europe.
1984 – Zonta International Foundation is established.
1986 – Zonta International becomes the first NGO to support UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) and continues to support.
1987 – Zonta International dedicates their first world headquarters building in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
1988 – Zonta welcomes its 1,000th club, Lome, Togo.
1990 – The Young Women in Public Affairs Award is established.
1998 – Zonta International Strategies to End Violence Against Women project (ZISVAW) is adopted as an ongoing program. The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is established.
2012 – Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women annual campaign launches.
2014 – “Empowering Women Through Service and Advocacy” slogan adopted.
2018 – Zonta International adopts its signature project to end child marriage at the Zonta International Convention in Yokohama, Japan.
2019 – Zonta International celebrates 100 years on 8 November. A pilot for a new scholarship, Women in Technology, launches.