Women festival hopes to bridge gaps

This year's Women of the World (WOW) Festival will be on the theme of Ral Mal – a Seraiki phrase for coming together as a community. The festival, which is in its sixth year, will take place from March 4 to 5 at the Beach Luxury Hotel, organisers said at a press conference in Karachi Wednesday. 

The festival is returning after virtual editions in the last two years due to the pandemic. 

This year’s event includes panel discussions, workshops, immersive performances, marketplaces and shows for children. It will also feature an art exhibition, a drum circle, art installations, and film screenings. The opening performance at the festival will feature Shae Gill of ‘Pasoori’ fame and Naseebo Lal would perform at the closing. 

Organisers said the theme ‘Ral Mil’ builds upon ideas of communities of care and imagines ways to build better, strengthen bonds, heal wounds, find joy, and salvage the earth from the effects of climate change. 

Laila Jamel of the British Council Pakistan, which is one of the main organisers, said that they held discussions with over one hundred women of diverse backgrounds to identity issues to curate discussions. 

“We will discuss everything from menopause to climate change,” said one of the curators Amaneh Sheikh.

Oraganisers added that one reason for the festival was to not only focus on the issues facing women and girls but to have women leading and shaping conversation. 

“At most festivals, we see ‘manels’ – or panels that are full of men, even when the discussion is about women,” said Atiya Abbas, another even curator.

The event will also feature success stories. “There will be much celebration too, of the incredible initiatives women and girls are running and their many inspirational achievements,” said Jude Kelly, who now runs the WOW Foundation, in a statement.