International Women's Day: what's on

08 March 2021

Today is the International Women’s Day, a global event to celebrate the achievements of women as well as raise awareness of gender inequalities.

We are grateful to colleagues who have attended our events so far, and would like to encourage you to attend the other events lined up in the coming days. Details of the events, including how to register, are shared in the grid below.

We are also looking to share a collaborative post – capturing the reflections of some of our colleagues – on what this year’s theme #ChoosetoChallenge means to them. The post will be published on the #DiverseReading blog.

The events below are open to all staff and students (unless otherwise stated);

Date/Time	Time	Event	Register
Monday 1March	19.00-20.15	Edith Morley Lecture: In Conversation with Scarlett Curtis (Online) To mark International Women's Day, we are delighted to present this annual event in memory of Edith Morley, believed to be the first woman to be awarded the title of professor in a British University. This year, this special event will feature writer, activist, podcaster and journalist, Scarlett Curtis.	Register Here
Wednesday 3 March	12.00-13.30	How to influence and engage decision-makers with your work In this talk organised by BAME Staff Network, Karmjit Kaur (Assistant Director, Political Affairs at Universities UK) will present a talk about influencing and engaging stakeholders with your work.	Click here to join this meeting
Wednesday 3 March	18.30-19.30	Beyond Allyship: Solidarity For Womxn And Non-binary Voices A free online event hosted by Fora in partnership with LBTQWomen, will highlight multiple womxn and non-binary voices. We will hear about their journeys towards embracing their identities and leveraging their voices as leaders and organisers, and their work to bring communities together. We'll explore the intersections of race, ethnicity, cultural identity and queerness and we’ll ask: How is vocabulary shifting? What is the impact of bias and micro-aggressions? What is our vision for a more inclusive way to celebrate International Womxn’s Day? What can be accomplished in 2021 that was never before possible? How can we centre the most underrepresented and marginalised in our communities? <!--[if !supportLists]--> Speakers Jennifer Brown (Host), Jennifer Brown Consulting Lady Phyll, Founding Executive Director of UK Black Pride and Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal CV Viverito, Associate Director of Global Initiatives at Out & Equal	Register here
Friday 5 March	13.00-14.30	Gender and Disability Ally Training Event A joint initiative by Women@Reading and the Staff Disability Network, this event will welcome prospective ALLIES and provide information and guidance on how to fulfil this vital role.	Register here
Monday 8 March – Friday 12 March		Aspire: The Dr Sam Collins Roadshow “Stripped Back” A free 5-day virtual event in honour of this year’s International Women’s Day theme of #choosetochallenge, aimed at unifying women to end bias and inequity around the world. “Stripped Back: On The Road” is a virtual roadshow with Dr. Sam Collins, Founder of Aspire for Equality and Host of the Stripped Back podcast, which features uninhibited and uncensored conversations with everyday women around the globe. Each day will have a different topic: 8 March - "Choose to Challenge" Challenging stereotypes, social norms, what's expected by others 9 March – "Radical Self-Care" Mental health, well-being, and balance. 10 March – “Fearlessness” Bravery, resilience and overcoming fear. 11 March – “Compassion & Unity” Culture change, social impact and making a difference. 12 March – “Taking Action” Following through, saying no and managing time.	Register here
Monday 8 March <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->	10.15 – 11.00	International Women’s Day Webinar Hosted by Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (ENEI) This free webinar will follow this year’s theme of #ChooseToChallenge. You will hear about the experiences of a panel of women at different stages in their career to help raise your awareness of the challenges they have faced at work.	As ENEI members, this is free for UoR staff to book onto using your @reading.ac.uk email via this link
Monday 8 March <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->	13.00-14.25	Women@Reading Network Event: Keynote speaker, Arti Shah with introduction from Vice Chancellor Robert Van de Noort, UEB Gender Champion “What Is Normal?” delivers a message about being different, about inclusion and about believing in yourself. It celebrates “being unique” and turning your life around on both a personal and professional level. For more details about our keynote speaker and her motivations please see details here.	Register here.
Monday 8 March	14.30-16.00	Women@Reading Network Event: Career Conversations Series 1 (aimed at mid-late career stage academic staff, i.e. Associate Professors and Professors) If the current situation with COVID has prompted thoughts about where you want to go next in developing your career, we are offering some opportunities to listen to and talk with some senior women colleagues to learn from their experiences and exchange ideas. Women’s career paths are often different to those of our male colleagues, and we have developed strategies for success which have often emerged as we responded to challenges and barriers we faced along the way. ‘Career Conversations’ are informal sessions in which speakers give brief insights into their job, and how they got to that point in their career. This is then followed by a general discussion with a Q&A. This event will be limited to 50 people.	Register here.
Wednesday 10 March	15.30-16.30	Women@Reading Network Event: Career Conversations Series 2 (aimed at early career academic staff - Lecturers, Early Career Researchers & Teaching Fellows)	Register here.
	14.00-15.30	Women@Reading Network Event: Career Conversations Series 3 (aimed at Professional Services staff) – 2.00 – 3.30pm If the current situation with COVID has prompted thoughts about where you want to go next in developing your career, we are offering some opportunities to listen to and talk with some senior women colleagues to learn from their experiences and exchange ideas. Women’s career paths are often different to those of our male colleagues, and we have developed strategies for success which have often emerged as we responded to challenges and barriers we faced along the way. ‘Career Conversations’ are informal sessions in which speakers give brief insights into their job, and how they got to that point in their career. This is then followed by a general discussion with a Q&A. Each event will be limited to 50 people.	Register here.
Friday 12 March	12.00-13.00	Women@Reading Network Event: Ted Talk Cinema Club – “6 Essential lessons for Women Leaders” During this lunchtime event, attendees will watch a Ted Talk and follow this with a discussion about the talk’s key ideas and themes. This event is for Network members only.	Register here.

Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) are also hosting some events for students. Head over to rusu.co.uk for more information or get in touch with Rachel Wates, RUSU Diversity Officer 2020/21 at diversityofficer@rusu.co.uk.

For more information about International Women’s Day, you can have a look at their website here: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ . Further events are also listed on their website: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/EventList

For more information about the Women@Reading Network and other Diversity Networks at the University please go to the Diversity webpages.

(This article was originally published on 25 February 2021 and has been amended for publication on the International Women's Day)

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International Women's Day: what's on

9 March – "Radical Self-Care"