Women of the World (WOW) is an international festival that celebrates the achievements of women and girls and looks at some of the obstacles they face across the world. The British Council, in partnership with the WOW Foundation, brought WOW for the first time to Dhaka on 5 - 6 of April 2019 at the Bangla Academy premises.
Diversity and inclusivity stand front and centre at WOW Dhaka 2019. We welcomed women, men, teenagers, children, people from all walks of life, all those who identify themselves as women, men, non-binary etc. along with the men and boys who support them.
WOW Dhaka is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the city and the incredible people that live and work here every day, as well as to showcase visiting speakers, performers, panellists and many inspiring women. Aimed at celebrating women and girls, looking at the challenges they face, encouraging debate as well as positive change and action, WOW Dhaka is a festival where hundreds of women’s stories will be shared, feelings vented, fun had, minds influenced, and hearts expanded. Our work in the area of gender and equality is a recognition of the need to share experiences and approaches to tackle the continuing inequalities and discrimination faced by marginalised groups in our societies, and WOW Dhaka is yet another initiative that does exactly that.
Jude Kelly, Founder of WOW Foundation, and the then Artistic Director at Southbank Centre launched WOW - Women of the World in 2010 to mark the centenary of International Women’s Day. Quickly growing beyond the 21 acres of the Southbank Centre and in response to an enthusiastic demand for a global network of festivals, WOW festivals are now being held across major cities all over the world. Over one and a half million women are part of the ever-growing WOW movement, where men and boys are also a part of the entire society benefits from a gender-equal world.
WOW Dhaka featured panel discussions, pop-up performances, WOW Bites, 'Under 10’s Feminist' corner, workshops, speed mentoring, a marketplace and a musical concert.