There will be poets, dancers and singers, interspersed with speeches, educators and political discussions, all in celebration of International Women’s Day.
“The reason for the variety is because women have a variety of talents, and we would like to showcase all of them,” said Kara Kauffman, the practicum student for the International Women’s Day Festival.
The Ohio University Women’s Center will host the third annual International Women’s Day Festival this Sunday in Baker Ballroom from 2 to 6 p.m. International Women’s Day was Tuesday, and this year’s theme is “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.”
Unlike most holidays that focus on American feminism, this holiday celebrates the struggles and strengths of women internationally, said Rebecca Mercado Thornton, who has performed poetry at the festival every year.
“I wish it wasn’t just one day that we celebrated the solidarity of women everywhere,” said Thornton, a third-year doctoral student studying communication studies. “We think American feminism is this radical notion, but there are much more radical feminist work abroad that we have no perception of.”
The day is geared toward education about the work of women both domestically and internationally.
“It’s the one day the world sets aside for the accomplishments of women,” said Susanne Dietzel, director of Women’s Center.
The day will consist of four hours of performers, educational tables and vendors. Guests can feel free to drop in at their leisure and can expect a variety, said Kauffman, a graduate student studying college student personnel.
“All of these poets, these dancers, these artists … it’s not something you see on the typical college day,” said Danielle Echols, a junior studying media studies and Spanish and the president of the Habibti Rakkasah Belly Dance Club. Echols has participated in the festival for the past two years.
This year, to keep with the new theme, there will be more discussions based on burgeoning technology in the field of childbirth and in the fashion show, the styles will be modernized, Kauffman said.
“It’s just a really beautiful experience,” Echols said. “Just seeing a room of OU students and Athens people … together for four hours celebrating each other and enjoying this day and what it stands for … that’s a good thing.”
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