2-day long WOW Dhaka festival kicks in

The British Council in partnership with The UK based WOW(Women of the World) Foundation today launched the first ever international WOW festival in Dhaka.

The 2-day long festival at the Bangla Academy premises was launched at the presence of Dr Dipu Moni, MP and Minister, Ministry of Education as the Chief Guest, according to a press release issued I this regard.

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Like all WOW festivals hosted by the foundation that works to build, convene and sustain a global movement to advance the empowerment of women and girls, WOW Dhaka is no different. The festival weekend offers everyone the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural dialogue to raise awareness of the challenges that prevent women and girls from achieving their potential and find creative solutions, reads the press release.

The also festival brings people together from all corners of society, both as speakers and audience members and works towards a more gender-equal society.

Commenting on the significance of the festival, chief guest Dr Dipu Moni said, “The advancement of women and girls is core to achieving Bangladesh’s vision of creating a more gender-equal society. We, like almost all other countries in the world, are focused on prioritising progress under Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and although I’m proud to say we have made steady progress, there still remain challenges. This is why the introduction of global public interactive platforms like the Women of the World in Bangladesh are so critical, because they help in sharing best practices and experiences, and creating access and opportunity to advance the potential for women and girls all over the world. We are really looking forward to maximising the potential of this incredible festival platform to positively impact the lives of women and girls in Bangladesh.”

The festival features panel discussions focusing on issues such as social norms, violence against women, men and masculinity, and feminism. Workshops are designed to help participants understand the realities of women from different backgrounds, including the obstacles they face in their path to progress. The festival is also hosting parallel sessions on short talks, stories and performances on over 20 themes, delivered by diverse groups of women. Additionally, participants can enjoy one-to-one speed mentoring sessions delivered by experts from across many fields.

The festival is hosting a vibrant marketplace, including a range of carefully selected stalls run by local women entrepreneurs. Visitors can also enjoy curated exhibitions, film screenings, performance arts, an under 10 feminist corners for children and a full-fledged theatre production throughout the WOW Dhaka weekend.

Nasim Ferdous, former Ambassador and Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jude Kelly CBE, Founder, WOW Foundation and Andrew Newton, Deputy Director, British Council were also present during the inauguration program.