Kathmandu. As part of its Women and Girls programme, the British Council in partnership with Kathmandu Metropolitan City and The WOW Foundation, UK—and a diverse group of Nepali and British collaborators—is organising WOW Nepal 2024, an arts and culture programme that celebrates the achievements of women, girls and non-binary people and takes a frank look at the obstacles they face across the world.
WOW Festivals are organised to build, convene, and sustain a global movement that believes a gender equal world is both desirable, possible, and urgently required. WOW Festivals currently take place in over 19 cities around the world. In South Asia, WOW chapters are organised by the British Council with the support of local curatorial partners, artists and collaborators. The event will congregate participants from across Nepal and the world to engage in awareness and capacity building programmes. The programme features talks, panel discussions, workshops, performances, and film screenings.
Commenting on the importance of continued engagement of women, girls, non-binary people, men, and boys on topics of gender equality, Rustom Mody, Country Director British Council in Nepal, shares, “We are delighted to be able to bring to audiences in Kathmandu one of the biggest arts-culture festival that focuses on gender. WOW features an extensive list of programmes—from conversations around climate change, sports, identify to women in diverse professions including media. The festival aims to raise awareness regarding gender issues, build capacity of women and girls, provide voice and platform to women speakers and artists, and build a strong network of women who believe that a more equal world is needed. I cannot wait to be a part of the programme.”
This year, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is the host for the festival. The leader of the organising team, Sunita Dangol, Deputy Mayor share, “We are overjoyed to be able to work with the British Council along with a diverse group of curators, artists, partners, and collaborators to organise WOW. While conversation about gender is mostly limited to closed conference rooms, WOW is important in the context of Kathmandu and Nepal as it brings the conversation to a wider public, where everybody has the safe space to express themselves and talk about topics that concern them. Art as a medium bears immense power to explain, communicate, bring people together and bring transformation in our society. I am proud to be a part of WOW and I am hopeful for many people to join us to celebrate women and their achievements.”
Festival details:
Date: 23 – 24 November 2024
Time: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Venue: Nandi Keshar Bagaincha (Narayanchaur), Naxal, Kathmandu
Entry to the festival is free for all
