Southbank Centre to bring Women of The World Festival to Beijing in September
The British Southbank Centre will partner with the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center to introduce its Women of The World Festival ( WOW) to the Chinese mainland for the first time ever this September, said Jude Kelly, WOW’s founder and the Southbank Centre’s artistic director, at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday.
Founded by Kelly in 2010, the festival seeks to inspire new generations of young women and girls through lectures, debates and performances, as well as raise public awareness about the obstacles they face around the world.
To date, nearly 20,000 participants have joined in events.
“Although it started in London in 2010, the festival can happen in any place in the world like Beijing, Katmandu or Sydney,” Kelly said.
“And now there’s no time to waste. China can lead the way and Chinese women can lead the way.”
According to Zhang Li, generalg manager of the TianqiaoT Performing Arts Center, the September festival will include about 303 events aimed at young women.w
“It will be just the start ofo our three- year long cooperation with Southbank Centre in the fields of art festivals, education and talent development,” Zhang said.
Previous guest lecturers include famous figures and celebrities such as Malala Yousafzai, Christine Lagarde and Patrick Stewart.