Photo: Tomi Palsa Finnish Flavour at WOW London 2016 Festival
The Finnish Institute in London is proud to share the best ideas of Finnish equality and feminism at Southbank’s annual WOW - Women of the World event kicking off this Friday 11. March. The now global project is coming to Finland for the first time in March 2017 in celebration of the 100 anniversary of the Finnish independence.
The weekend’s programme at WOW London 2016 includes the School of Daring by feminist think tank Hattu by Rosa Meriläinen, Saara Särmä also the creator of ‘Congrats, you have an all male panel’ website and Johanna Vehkoo, Childcare Utopia Discussion with Johanna Sumuvuori, the Institute’s Society Programme Director, introduction of the Finnish Baby Box and Self Defence bite from the Institute’s Director, Pauliina Ståhlberg.
“Many women have noticed that some people seem almost too daring - whereas many of us are just too embarrassed to bring ourselves forward and speak up. We at Hattu have learned to laugh at ourselves and to expose the game of those daring tricksters. This is the first time we are doing the School of Daring outside Finland, and we are very excited to share our tips with londoners - maybe they have some wild daring challenges for us!”says Rosa Meriläinen from Hattu.
WOWs mission is to champion gender equality, celebrating the achievements of women and girls everywhere and examining the obstacles that keep them from fulfilling their potential. Launched in 2011 on the centenary of International Women’s Day by Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre, WOW has since grown internationally, with 15 festivals on five continents to date. Locations include Sydney (Australia), Cardiff (Wales), Alexandria (Egypt), Hargeisa (Somaliland), New York (USA), Karachi (Pakistan) and Dhaka (Bangladesh).
Programme:
Friday 11 March 2016
Childcare Utopia Discussion. Britain has some of the most expensive childcare in the world – have Nordic countries really cracked it and what can the UK learn from them? The Finnish perspective represented by Johanna Sumuvuori, Head of Society Programme, Finnish Institute in London. Venue: Southbank Centre, Marie Rambert Studio at Rambert, Time: 3-4pm
Finnish Baby Box (Maternity Package) on display at WOW’s Marketplace. The Finnish Baby Box was first issued in 1938 to parents with a low income, and contained a blanket, crib sheets, diapers, and fabric which parents could use to make clothing for the baby. Since 1949 it has been given to all mothers-to-be, provided they visited a doctor or municipal pre-natal clinic before their fourth month of pregnancy, and the pregnancy has lasted at least 154 days. Venue: Southbank Centre, Level 2 Foyers at Royal Festival Hall, Time: 11am-5pm
Saturday 12 March
Self Defence bite by Pauliina Ståhlberg, black belt in karate and Director of the Finnish Institute in London. This short session shows how to defend yourself in a threatening situation in three easy-to-do steps. Venue: Southbank Centre, Time: 3-4 pm
Sunday 13 March
The School of Daring by Rosa Meriläinen, Saara Särmä and Johanna Vehkoo. This session empowers women to live unabashedly, let go of unnecessary pressures. We learn to recognize what gets in the way of daring and free ourselves from those constraints through laughter.Venue: Anya Linden studio at Rambert Dance Studios, Time: 3-4 pm. KONE Foundation supports the School of Daring.
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