WOW, celebrating women around the world

The WOW goes digital in celebration of women around the world

The WOW Foundation announces a major programme of festivals and events addressing gender inequality across the globe in March 2021

The WOW Foundation was created by Jude Kelly CBE in 2018 to run the global movement that is WOW - Women of the World Festivals at the Southbank Centre, where she was Artistic Director, to celebrate women and girls, taking a frank look at what prevents them from achieving their potential, raising awareness globally of the issues they face, and discussing solutions together.

To date, WOW has reached over two million people in 17 countries on six continents, in locations including Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Finland, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Somaliland, the UK and the USA. In 2018/19 WOW was in Rio de Janeiro, Cardiff, Bradford, Bangladesh, Brisbane, Janakpur (Nepal), Baltimore, London, Exeter, Norwich, Perth, Beijing, Ghana and Nigeria. In June 2020, WOW held its first ever worldwide online festival focused on women and girls — WOW Global. The festival travelled around the world everywhere from the UK to Nigeria, and Pakistan to Australia exploring the intersectional impact of COVID-19 on gender inequality and responding to Black Lives Matter.

Over the last 10 years the Festivals have developed a reputation as a space for world renowned artists, activists, thinkers and performers including Angela Davis, Malala Yousafzai, Annie Lennox, Patrick Stewart, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Salma Hayek, to come and participate, alongside thousands of women and girls who don’t have public profiles but are doing amazing things. WOW provides platforms for people of all kinds, changes attitudes, brings communities together and provides a unique space for people to work together towards gender equality in their own communities. One example of the impact the festival has had is the founding of the Women’s Equality Party by Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer.

HOW DO YOU WANT ME? by Ruby Wax

Her latest book, a memoir, is one about good news. It was published with a new introduction in April 2020. Ruby says, “I began writing it in 2018, back when the world’s worries were somewhat different. Climate change, greedy bankers, exam results, crap politicians, mental health: these are still HUGE ISSUES, but even the ancient soothsayers reading pig entrails couldn’t have predicted this. This is my new mission: to share the green shoots of hope peeping through the soil of civilization. Literacy is at an all-time high, world-hunger is likely to be eradicated this century, technological improvements are saving lives – just to scratch the surface. I’ve talked to everyone from leaders to scientists to tech geniuses. I’ve done the research and practiced what I preach. And my conclusion? Behind the clouds, the sun still shines.” To date, Ruby has sold over one million copies of her books worldwide. Ruby will be in conversation with Fearne Cotton at the WOW Festival 2021

Kimberle Crenshaw In Conversation

©AELTC Sheila Heti and Avni Doshi in Conversation

©AELTC Natalie Haynes to discuss What can we learn from Ancient Greek Women

©AELTC

On 1st March 2020 digital WOW Festivals went live from the UK, New York, Nepal, Pakistan, Istanbul, and Bangladesh, and WOW Think Ins take place in Taiwan and Western Australia

2021’s WOW Festival UK takes place 1-21st March to mark International Women’s Day and includes: • Over 30 digital events - available on demand until 28th March • Guest speakers Kimberlé Crenshaw, Ruby

Wax, Arundhati Roy, Sheila Heti, Avni Doshi and Bryony Kimmings • WOW pioneers new networks for different groups and generations - from grandmothers to mothers in COVID and under 10s feminists • Workshops and discussions on themes including mental health, sex in lockdown, women in Greek myths, grief and intersectionality • Available to book worldwide, WOW UK 2021’s programme includes special sessions from

WOW Australia and WOW Rio de Janeiro • WOW and Google Arts & Culture to launch an online exhibition featuring 100 trailblazing women from 10 cities and countries around the world

• WOW and BBC ‘Children in Need’ will launch a major new project connecting over 100 marginalised girls aged 8-16 across the UK

• WOW launches Shameless!, a new festival in November to confront attitudes towards sexual violence - a partnership with Birkbeck and The Wellcome Trust n

We at Darling have always loved and supported what the WOW Festival has been doing over the years. Join us and book your tickets for events and talks at

thewowfoundation.com