Women of the World unite for Festival 2018

Commonwealth Games organisers will use the most diverse Games of all time to champion for gender equality in Queensland.

The WOW (Women of the World) Festival in Brisbane this year is set to feature an exciting program designed to explore many of the issues faced by those working towards a more gender equal society.

WOW will be held at the Brisbane Powerhouse in April as part of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games arts and cultural festival, Festival 2018.

Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones said WOW at Festival 2018 would feature local and international speakers exploring topics like women in leadership, economic security, the impact of modern technology on the women’s workforce of today, and women in the media and democracy.

“WOW will showcase stories about women who are using their creativity and business skills to build cultural and social enterprises,” she said.

“We’ll have local entrepreneurs joining women from other Commonwealth nations to share their stories of innovation.”

The line-up of speakers will include:

• Young entrepreneurs from Ghana (Winnifred Selby), the Solomon Islands (Millicent Barty) as well as local change-makers – Femeconomy’s Alanna Bastin-Byrne and Jade Collins
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO
• The first Sri Lankan to climb Mount Everest Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala
• Jasvinder Sanghera, author and founder of Karma Nirvana, a UK award-winning charity that supports men and women affected by honour-based abuse and forced marriages
• Founding chair of Our Watch and former leader of the Australian Democrats Natasha Stott Despoja AM
• Founder of the One Million Stars to End Violence project artist Maryann Talia Pau. 

Ms Jones said WOW aligned closely with the mission of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), GOLDOC and other international sporting stakeholders to ensure GC2018 was the most gender-equal multi-sports event in history.

“GC2018 will be the first games to have an equal number of men’s and women’s medal events as well as gender parity of technical officials across the Games,” she said.

The Minister said WOW would encourage important discussions around the role of women and girls in the world today.

“WOW is a global phenomenon founded by London’s South Bank Centre in 2011 that has now taken place in 20 locations on five continents. We’re proud to include the program as part of Festival 2018 and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games,” she said.

With local and international speakers sharing real stories of loss and triumph, WOW at Festival 2018 is for women, girls, men and boys, regardless of their background.

WOW at Festival 2018 will offer a wide range of activities and interactive workshops including circus, Bollywood and African dance, woodwork workshops and skateboarding, as well as performances from Hot Brown Honey, Emily Wurramara and the world premiere of VEIQIA21 by VOU Dance Fiji.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin said she hoped the festival would become a long-lasting fixture for future Commonwealth Games.

"I’m thrilled that WOW Festival will take place as part of the Festival program and hope it’s continued at future Commonwealth Games,” she said.

“Through WOW’s dynamic and inclusive leadership, linking in with the world’s largest celebration of today’s modern, diverse Commonwealth, we’ll take even greater steps towards our collective vision for gender equality and a level playing field for women and men when we meet on the Gold Coast next year.”

Tickets for WOW at Festival 2018 are now on sale.

To find out more visit www.wowaustralia.com.au

ENDS

Media contact: Jack Harbour 0419 620 447