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SydWest Celebrates International Women's Day in Blacktown

Announcement posted by SydWest Multicultural Services 24 Feb 2020

Creative, powerful women to shine a light on how we can collectively help to create a gender equal world.

SydWest Multicultural Services is proud to announce that they will be hosting their International Women’s Day 2020 event at the Blacktown Arts Centre on Friday 6th March from 6pm.

The program will feature the launch of Solace, a poetic documentary about the recovery process of three displaced female poets. We learn about the poets in the video through observing their creative process and their production of a group music video clip.

SydWest is also pleased to announce that a group of high-profile women will join a Panel Discussion facilitated by Joanna Kalkstein. We will be discussing challenging stereotypes and fighting bias and discrimination, broadening perceptions and improving and celebrating women’s achievements. Our confirmed panellists:

·         Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Senator for NSW

·         Sophie Cotsis MP for Canterbury and Shadow Minister for Better Public Services

·         Clr Carol Israel, Blacktown City Council

·         Clr Reena Jethri, Deputy Mayor of The Hills Shire Council

·         Saba Vasefi, poet, academic, film-maker

·         Elfa Moraitakis, CEO, SydWest Multicultural Services

Entertainment during the event will include Hip-Hop artist Kween G, renowned for her potent content, she delivers a dynamic style as an MC, performer and Hip-Hop artist. Kween G makes music that excites, entertains, and enlightens her listeners – often described as “consciousness-raising”. Her fighting spirit – for women’s rights and those in disadvantaged communities – courage and humility have earned her respect across the country.

International Women’s Day is an important opportunity for SydWest Multicultural Services to bring together local and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women to share in addressing the very real issue of gender equality and collectively finding solutions and ways forward.

We hope that our IWD event will inspire each woman to make change and fight for equality. The event is a wonderful opportunity to network with leaders in the community and make new connections to support ongoing collective change. Many of our guests are also displaced women and this event will hopefully help them in their quest to find their place and identity in our society.