March 8 marks the 102nd anniversary of International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future.

Thousands of events will be held around the world to mark the occasion, including talks, discussions, exhibitions, workshops and a range of local events. To celebrate, CARE USA, a humanitarian organization that fights global poverty, will host the CARE Conference & International Women's Day Celebration in Washington DC. Speakers include CNN journalist Dana Bash, US Senator Bill Frist and former US Representative Lynn Woolsey.

In some countries, such as China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, it is a national holiday. In many regions in Europe, it's tradition that men offer flowers to their wives, daughters, and mothers to mark the occasion.

The United Nations declared this year's theme to be "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women." However many groups around the globe choose their own themes that may be more relevant to local gender issues.

Find out what is happening near you on the official International Women's Day website.

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