International Women’s Day to be celebrated by OU through a festival put on by the Women’s Center.
Although International Women’s Day fell on March 8, the end of Ohio University’s spring break, the Women’s Center is not going to let it go uncelebrated.
The seventh-annual International Women’s Day Festival will be held on Sunday in the Baker Center Ballroom.
The festival will last for four hours. Sarah Jenkins, program coordinator for the LGBT and Women’s centers, has been helping to organize the event, working closely with participants.
The event will have a mix of performances, presentations and fashion. Jenkins said there will be about 25 performances and about 100 participants. Also included in the festival will be vendors, informational tables and free childcare. Jenkins said part of the planning is making sure different cultures are represented.
The theme of International Women’s Day is set by the United Nations, and this year it was “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it!” Other sponsors of the festival include the Multicultural Center, Black Student Cultural Programming Board and Ohio University.
“I think it’s important to give people the opportunity to learn a little bit more about cultures from around the world and the experiences of women from around the world and the importance of understanding why this day is important and why Women’s History Month, as a whole, is important,” Jenkins said.
Last year, about 600 people attended. Jenkins said there will be a lot of cultural dances throughout the festival this year — something she is looking forward to.
Along with performers, people like Emma Nappi will be making presentations at the event. Nappi, a senior studying entrepreneurship, will be presenting for the third time at the International Women’s Day Festival.
“I struggled with an eating disorder myself … and I started a blog to reach out about my story and hopefully help other people and inform other people about that mental illness and raise awareness … and to promote positive body image and self love,” Nappi said. “I thought that International Women’s Day Festival was a really great opportunity to get my story out there and have another opportunity of reaching more people.”
With millions of individuals struggling with eating disorders, Nappi said she wants to start a conversation around this mental illness.
Nappi said the crowds at the festivals are encouraging and supportive, and although she was nervous the first time, presenting has been an empowering experience.
“We have a rich international community and that is a perfect occasion to remind ourselves of that,” said Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women’s Center. “The project of women’s liberation is not finished and it’s on going and this is a good time to take a break and celebrate and then continue.”
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