From the 7th until the 10th March Falmouth will be playing host to a whole weekend of free events, talks, workshops and performances to designed to celebrate and nurture women and girls in Cornwall.
So, what is the Women of the World Festival?
In a nutshell:
It is a joyous celebration of what it means to be a woman!
Falmouth Cultural Services have designed a whole programme of wonderful events centred around the 8th March, International Women’s day.
So, what can we expect to see in Falmouth this week?
So much! Everything from well-being and yoga workshops to crafty days and yarn bombing, talks and performances. You can see the full programme of events HERE. The festival will be culminating in a Public Round Table discussion on women’s creativity, gender equality and women’s rights on Sunday 10th March, 4.30pm at Falmouth Art Gallery.
It is important to recognise that the first goal of the festival is to promote gender equality, and women’s rights. This event isn’t necessarily ‘feminist’ or indeed an excuse for ‘men-bashing’ but more about putting women in the limelight. And making sure that men can and want to join the conversation. The festival is about promoting men and women as equal. A very relevant conversation recently highlighted by advertising campaigns by Gillette and the Royal Navy’s – A women’s Place.
Sara Baistrocchi, the driving force behind Falmouth’s festival, says, “I think that an important aspect of the festival is the fact that we will have some male speakers too, (at the round-table discussion on Sunday afternoon) who normally work on projects and in education with boys and men. we strongly believe that men have a crucial part to play in the women’s rights and gender equality conversation.”
Sunday’s debate aims take a look at the problems and challenges women face on a daily basis and how we can work together to counter them. Up for discussion is the connection between creativity (in all its forms), women rights and opportunities, gender equality and the re-invention of both femininity and masculinity in our time.
Sunday’s Guest Speakers
The guest speakers on Sunday will include Sarah Perry talking about how we can all use craft can combat isolation, Hannah Pearce of Un_wrap, Falmouth’s only plastic free shop. Chloe Hughes, from the Cornwall Museum Partnership, speaking about promoting gender equality. Also taking part will be Bimini Love of Street Cramps giving us an exclusive insight into her next crowdfunding project, James Benzing from A Band of Brothers Cornwallwill be talking about supporting young men in the community and finally Richard Gambier, the retired head of Marlborough school, will be talking about the promotion of gender equality in the context of education.
Getting involved!
All the workshops, talk and performances will be taking place in Falmouth. Venues include the Falmouth Library and Falmouth Art Gallery between 7th – 10th March.
So if you would like to join the conversation or get involved just pop over to the website. Click on the event you are interested in a reserve your FREE ticket!
Further Reading:
I am all about celebrating Cornish culture and the lives of its wonderful women.
Hannah Jory: Mother, Prostitute & Convict
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Sounds fantastic. My only quibble, as a long-time feminist, is that promoting men and women as equal is feminism. The idea that we’re all about bashing men? That comes from fear of where change will lead, not from us.
There is a similar celebration at The Old Sardine Factory in Looe, albeit on a smaller scale. I’m away for most of the time it’s on but I’m hoping to get home in time to catch the end of the exhibition. Fingers crossed!