Best-selling author and motivational speaker Fiori Giovanni was the keynote presenter at this year's International Women's Day event in Sydney, hosted by the Drinks Association's Embrace Difference Council.
Giovanni captivated the audience with her inspiring life story, delivering a powerful presentation titled 'Resilience' that centred on the innate strength within all of us, drawing from her own experiences of overcoming adversity.
She began with a gripping account of her escape from war-torn Eritrea in Africa, where she was enlisted as a teenage soldier at the age of 14. Giovanni shared the harrowing challenges she faced during military training and the desperation that led her to escape, even at the risk of her life.
“So after a while, the next logical thing I could think of was to just escape, even if it meant dying in the process, because in staying I knew it was a matter of time before I died anyway,” said Giovanni.
With the support of her mother, Giovanni embarked on a perilous journey. First, she travelled to Sudan, where she stayed for a year, before heading to Libya, where she boarded a small, crowded boat bound for Italy. After days lost at sea in the Mediterranean, they were eventually rescued by an Italian security guard.
Upon reaching Italy, she made her way to Belgium, where, after four years, she secured permanent residency allowing her the opportunity to travel extensively. She covered 25 countries across five continents.
Giovanni said, “As soon as I got my permanent residency, I started travelling to 25 countries across five continents in search of knowledge and personal growth.”
Eventually relocating to Australia, Giovanni has since built a successful career as an author, motivational speaker, business coach, self-directed healer, and hypnotherapist.
The three Rs of Resilience
Having faced a lifetime of adversity, Giovanni introduced the audience to her 3Rs of Resilience – Reframe, Refocus, and Revive – a powerful system she developed to overcome challenging times.
‘Reframe’ involves shifting thoughts from anger and despair to acceptance and a determination to resolve the situation. ‘Refocus’ refers to having clarity of mind to redirect and follow a reset path. The third R, ‘Revive’, acknowledges that the previous two steps will “dissolve into daydreams” if they are not revived into action.
In closing her inspiring session, Giovanni invited the audience to join her in an uplifting African dance.
She concluded by saying, ““There’s a reason we come together on International Women's Day to acknowledge the fact that yes, we still have to close the pay gap, but women today comprise 40% of the global workforce. More women are earning degrees, and many of us are entering previously male-dominated industries such as law, medicine, and business because as women, we are not only domesticated; we are driven. We are not only fighters; we are peacemakers. We are passive yet assertive. In a nutshell, we rock; we are unstoppable. Let’s celebrate that and tell each other that how you rock."
Giovanni’s session left the audience energised and motivated to embrace courage, resilience, and positive change in their own lives.
For more information on Fiori Giovanni or to purchase any of her best-selling books, please visit her website.
Click here to view the full image gallery of the Drinks Association's 2024 International Women's Day event.
Event photography by Belinda Rolland.