International Women's Day 2025
Events
Week 1 (24 February - 2 March)
Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films (1970s-1980s) - Sois belle et tai-toi (dir. Delphine Seyrig, 1976)
25 February 2025, 6.00pm-9.00pm
Attenborough Film Theatre
As part of the Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films programme, join Dr Gozde Naiboglu (Lecturer in Film Studies) who will introduce Delphine Seyrig and her feminist documentary film Sois belle et tai-toi, which features a series of interviews with various actresses (including Jenny Agutter, Maria Schneider and Jane Fonda) about their role in the film industry.
Dr Gozde Naiboglu specialises in the areas of European and World Cinemas; film theory and philosophy; gender and sexuality studies; contemporary screen cultures and the questions of work migration and global politics.
Open only to University staff and students.
Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films (1990s) - Tank Girl (dir. Rachel Talalay, 1996)
26 February 2025, 5.00pm-8.00pm
Attenborough Film Theatre
As part of the Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films programme, join Professor James Chapman (Professor of Film Studies) who will introduce and lead a discussion of Rachel Talalay and her Tank Girl. This post-apocalyptic sci-fi cult classic follows the antihero Tank Girl in a drought ravaged Australia, alongside genetically modified super-soldiers against the oppressive corporation Water & Power.
Professor James Chapman's research focuses on British popular culture, especially cinema and television in their historical contexts.
Open only to University staff and students.
Week 2 (3-9 March)
Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films (2000s) - Mamma Mia! (dir. Phyllida Lloyd, 2008)
4 March 2025, 6.00pm-9.00pm
Attenborough Film Theatre
As part of the Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films programme, join Dr Claire Jenkins (Lecturer in Film and Television Studies) who will introduce Phyllida Lloyd and talk the reasons why we should take her Mamma Mia! seriously. The jukebox musical rom-com is based on the songs of ABBA (Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest), and follows a young bride-to-be who invites three men to her upcoming wedding, with the possibility that any of them could be her father.
Dr Claire Jenkins’ research interests are family and gender in popular film and television, contemporary Hollywood cinema, Doctor Who, superhero movies and chick flicks.
Open only to University staff and students.
Café Enterprise: Women Entrepreneurs
4 March 2025, 5.30pm-7.30pm
David Wilson Building, Career Hub
This session aims to encourage, support, and promote female entrepreneurship. As a signatory to the Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, we are committed to minimising barriers and enhancing opportunities for all entrepreneurs, particularly those from underrepresented groups.
The event is open to all staff and students, whether you are an experienced entrepreneur, just starting out, or simply interested in learning more. It will be a great opportunity for networking, knowledge-sharing, and championing women’s contributions to enterprise.
Voices, Challenges, and Research: What are your experiences in academia?
5 March 2025, 1.00pm-7.00pm
Sir Bob Burgess Building, Room 1.03 (till 4.00pm) and the Attenborough Film Theatre (from 4.00pm)
To mark International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March, we invite you to an afternoon (and evening) of conversation, creativity and collaboration, taking place at the University of Leicester on Wednesday 5 March. The aim is to create a safe space to discuss our experiences and challenges in negotiating the academic space: in terms of research, work-life balance, neurodiversity, safety, inclusivity and more. This is not a ‘networking’ event! We, a group of international PhD researchers from the School of Arts, Media & Communications, seek to foster friendships, solidarity and action (the theme of this year’s IWD). You are welcome to join for either or both parts of the programme:
1.00pm-4.00pm, Sir Bob Burgess Building, Room 1.03
- Panel discussion with Q&A
- Creative-writing workshop
- Reflection and action-setting discussion
4.30pm-7.00pm, Attenborough Tower Film Theatre
- Screening of Becoming Bell Hooks (58 minutes)
- Discussion and wrap-up
Simple refreshments will be provided.
Any questions, contact Chang Xu (cx46@leicester.ac.uk), Carinya Sharples (cs856@leicester.ac.uk), Viola Nassi (vn58@leicester.ac.uk).
College of Science and Engineering International Women’s Day 2025 Event
Wednesday 5 March 2025, 3.00pm-5.00pm
George Porter Building, Lecture Theatre A
It is our pleasure to announce the exciting events that the College of Science and Engineering has put together for International Women's Day (IWD) 2025. The events consist of an EDI seminar by Professor Paul Walton (University of York), and a round table where we will discuss the barriers faced by early career researchers in academia.
- 3.00pm-4.00pm: EDI Seminar by Professor Paul Walton
- 4.00pm-4.30pm: Round table with Professor Paul Walton, Tayyaba Khurram (IODP Technician), Sebastian Wang (Research Associate on I-REACCH project) and Dr Marisa Rydzy (IODP research associate)
- 4.30pm-5.00pm: Networking with Refreshments in George Porter Building Foyer
Let’s Do Leicester Women’s Only Gym
5 March 2025, 6.00pm-7.00pm
Danielle Brown Sports Centre
Join us for a series of activities and sessions including paint and sip, women’s only gym and badminton.
Please sign up for the event via the link in our bio @letsdoleicester on Instagram.
Free, fun and for you!
Women's Health Café (In Person)
6 March 2025, 12.00pm-12.45pm
Victoria Park
Join the Women's Health Café hosts ahead of International Women's Day, for a ‘Walk and Talk’ session around Victoria Park.
The walk will start at 12.05pm - please meet on the campus/park border behind the Charles Wilson Building.
Find out more about the Women’s Health Cafés
Kathleen Kenyon: Building Dedication Ceremony
7 March 2025, 11.00am
School of Archaeology and Ancient History Building
In celebration of Dame Kathleen Kenyon, the School of Archaeology and Ancient History Building will be renamed in recognition of their achievements and life work, this will mark the first academic building to be dedicated to a woman here at Leicester. Dame Kathleen Kenyon is best known for her work as an archaeologist of Neolithic culture in the Fertile Crescent and a pioneer of excavation methodology (the Wheeler–Kenyon method), leading excavations of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho, from 1952 to 1958.
In 1936, Dame Kathleen Kenyon was appointed director of excavations at the Jewry Wall in Leicester (one of the largest surviving pieces of Roman architecture in Britain), leading four seasons of excavation at Leicester (1936-39), innovating in how she evaluated the historical layers; this methodology was pivotal in the subsequent redating of levels and pottery at Jericho later. Beneath the Roman remains, she also found the first conclusive proof that the Roman town occupied the site of a late Iron Age settlement, an important contribution to the study of the relationship between pre-Roman and Roman settlements in Britain.
We welcome staff and students of the University to join us for the renaming ceremony, as the University honours one of the most influential archaeologists of the 20th century.
Learn more about the ceremony and Dame Kathleen Kenyon
Distance Learning Film Night - Barbie
7 March 2025, 7.00pm-9.00pm
Online (MS Teams)An early celebration of International Women's Day, featuring the iconic Barbie. Cameras and microphones will be unavailable for this meeting, and the text chat will be used to communicate – this is to prevent disturbing enjoyment of the film. The film will start at 7.10pm.
Any questions can be sent to the Distance Learning Officer, Natalie at su-dlofficer@leicester.ac.uk
This event is only open to distance learning students.
Good For A Girl
7 March 2025, 7.00pm-8.30pm
Attenbrough Arts Centre
Join Queensgate Football Club as they advance to the final rounds of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Meet a group of players, united in their love for the game and for each other. But can this record-breaking team survive the challenges they face, both on and off the pitch? Do they have what it takes to go on and win?
Good for a Girl is a groundbreaking piece of theatre celebrating and exposing the real-life experiences of women in football. Written by Becky Deeks and directed by Lucy Wild, this dynamic, comedic and hard-hitting production reveals the resilience of female footballers and the inequalities women still face in society today.
Let’s Do Leicester Women’s Takeover for International Women’s Day
8 March 2025, 5.30pm-7.30pm
Danielle Brown Sports Centre
Join us for a series of activities and sessions including paint and sip, women’s only gym and multisport activities.
Please sign up for the event via the link in our bio @letsdoleicester on Instagram.
Free, fun and for you!
Good For A Girl
8 March 2025, 7.00pm-8.30pm
Attenbrough Arts Centre
Join Queensgate Football Club as they advance to the final rounds of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Meet a group of players, united in their love for the game and for each other. But can this record-breaking team survive the challenges they face, both on and off the pitch? Do they have what it takes to go on and win?
Good for a Girl is a groundbreaking piece of theatre celebrating and exposing the real-life experiences of women in football. Written by Becky Deeks and directed by Lucy Wild, this dynamic, comedic and hard-hitting production reveals the resilience of female footballers and the inequalities women still face in society today.
Week 3 (10-16 March)
Women and Equality in the Workplace
11 March 2025, 1.00pm-2.00pm
Jan Grodecki Room, Leicester Law School / Online (MS Teams)
As part of the celebrations for International Women's Day (IWD) and as part of our EDI School Welcome lunches, you are warmly invited to the following event: 'Women and Equality in the Workplace'. Eugenia Caracciolo di Torella and Pascale Lorber will consider how the new Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, aims to improve equality/equity in the workplace. Nicola Junkin and Cathy Howells from the University Staff Health and Wellbeing Team will explain how the University supports women's health in the workplace, notably through the new policy 'Menstruation to Menopause'.
- Meeting ID: 380 869 941 15
- Passcode: Kd24aj9Q
Culture Talks: Sabrina Tirvengadum and Professor Clare Anderson Discuss 'Who Were They? Who Am I?'
11 March 2025, 6.30pm-7.30pm
Salmon Gallery, Attenborough Arts Centre
Join artist Sabrina Tirvengadum & Professor Clare Anderson as they discuss the Gallery 2 exhibition 'Who Were They? Who Am I?'
About the Exhibition: அவர்கள் யார்? நான் யார்?
In Who Were They? Who Am I? artist Sabrina Tirvengadum takes a personal journey into identity, ancestry and the hidden histories that shape who we are. Inspired by their father’s life and family stories passed down through generations, this exhibition connects personal narratives with the larger history of Indian indentured labour in Mauritius. At its heart, it asks a universal question: How much of who we are comes from who they were?
Using archival photographs, AI-generated imagery, digital art and film. Sabrina blends personal and collective memories to reimagine moments that were lost, hidden or never existed. This approach shows the nature of how memory works, mixing truth, interpretation and imagination.
A key part of this journey is the artist’s DNA link to the Marrier d’Unienville family: wealthy plantation owners who employed their great-grandmother as a maid. This discovery led to a deep exploration of privilege, labour, and lineage, which are central to the artwork “If We Were Marrier d’Unienville.” Through imagining alternative histories, this work invites us to think about the complex connections between ancestry, power and resilience.
Another highlight is the short film “A Souvenir to Keep,” made from rediscovered family footage of the artist’s first visit to Mauritius in 1993. The film captures the emotional experience of connecting with ancestral land and reflects the shared journeys of many people in diaspora communities, where longing and belonging intertwine.
Who Were They? Who Am I? is more than a question. It invites us to explore how history, family, and storytelling shape identity. By reimagining the stories of the past, Sabrina honours those who came before and asks us to reflect on our own connections to history and heritage.
Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films (2010s) - Into the Forest (dir. Patricia Rozema, 2015)
11 March 2025, 6.00pm-9.00pm
Attenborough Film Theatre
As part of the Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films programme, join Dr David Christopher (Lecturer in Popular Screen Cultures), who will introduce Patricia Rozema’s Into the Forest. The apocalyptic film follows two sisters in the throes of what appears to be a global technological collapse as they navigate an unfamiliar socio-economic landscape from their home in the suburban outback of the Pacific Northwest and negotiate survival against the elements and other predatory characters.
Dr David Christopher’s research covers the ideology and cultural studies of digital cinema, Canadian cinema, anarchist cinema, international science fiction and apocalypse cinema, horror video games and cinema, reception and perception analyses, theatre history, and media studies more broadly.
Open only to University staff and students.
In Conversation with… Dr Marcia Philbin, Hon. DSc PhD FRSC CChem FAPM
11 March 2025, time TBC
We regret to announce that this event has been cancelled.
Autism in Girls and Women
12 March 2025, 11.30am-12.30pm
Online (MS Teams)
As part of International Women's Day, CLSEDI are pleased to present this fascinating talk on the intersection between gender and disability. Autism has long been seen as a condition affecting boys and men, leading to the assumption that women and girls couldn’t be autistic at all. However, recent research shows that autism often presents differently in girls and women, challenging outdated stereotypes. While the old ratio was thought to be 12 boys to every girl, new figures suggest it’s closer to 3-to-1. This talk explores the male bias in autism research, showcasing the new knowledge about autism in girls and women that has developed in the last decade.
About the Speaker: Dr Felicity Sedgewick is an autism and neurodiversity researcher and academic at the University of Bristol. She has worked with autistic and neurodivergent people for over a decade, particularly with autistic women and girls. Her research has focused on gender differences in autism, relationships, and mental health, as well as experiences in higher education. Her projects are all co-designed with autistic and neurodivergent people, with the goal of meaningful positive impact.
- Meeting ID: 323 845 434 848
- Passcode: yb3ZJ9LU
- For a calendar invite please email clsedi@le.ac.uk
Register your interest (log-in required)
Let’s Do Leicester Women’s Only Gym
12 March 2025, 6.00pm-7.00pm
Danielle Brown Sports Centre
Join us for an additional weekly women’s onlygym session every Wednesday throughout March in support of Women’s History Month. Free, fun and for you!
Please note: These sessions are free for all University of Leicester students. Don’t forget your student ID otherwise you will be not be able to enter the facility.
Our usual Monday 6.00pm-7.00pm Women’s Only Gym sessions at Danielle Brown Sports Centre will continue throughout March.
For regular updates head to our social media: @letsdoleicester
Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films (2020s) - Next Sohee (dir. Jung Ju-ri, 2022)
12 March 2025, 4.00pm-7.00pm
Attenborough Film Theatre
As part of the Voice: Female Filmmakers and Their Films programme, join Dr Lin Feng (Associate Professor in Film Studies) who will introduce and lead a discussion of Korean filmmaker Jung Ju-ri and her Next Sohee. The drama follows the bleak, foreclosed and unrelenting future and grim reality of the workplace for a generation let down by society. Inspired by a true story, Jung, through the character of a female detective, investigates the institutional exploitation of young people in Korea’s education system and business-oriented society.
Dr Lin Feng’s research ranges on Chinese-language cinemas (mainland China Hong Kong and Taiwan), East Asian film history and popular cinema, star studies, genre studies, film censorship and governance and cinematic representation and reception of gender and race.
Open only to University staff and students.
Breaking Down Barriers
14 March 2025, 11.00am-12.00pm
Maurice Shock Building, Room 206
What barriers have you faced as a researcher? How have they affected your research career? How might we address these barriers? This workshop provides a space for you to share your experiences of research culture at Leicester and work with colleagues to suggest ways to break down those barriers.
Research Culture Manifestos
14 March 2025, 1.00pm-2.00pm
Ken Edwards Building, Room 528
What would your ideal research environment look like? This workshop is designed to encourage colleagues to share their ideas for how we can improve research culture at Leicester and within the Higher Education sector more broadly.
Book Club Launch - celebrate the achievements, struggles, and voices of women around the world through the power of literature
14 March 2025, 2.00pm-3.00pm
George Davies Centre, Room 1.38 /MS Teams
Join us on Friday 14 March as we celebrate International Women's Day with the launch of an inspiring and empowering book club!
Together, we’ll celebrate the achievements, struggles, and voices of women around the world through the power of literature. This event is open to staff and PGR students of all genders, because the stories of women resonate with everyone, and we believe that understanding and uplifting each other is essential in creating a more equitable world. Whether you're an avid reader or looking for a meaningful way to participate in the celebration, this book club is for you!
Week 4 (17-23 March)
The Continued Missing Link: The Critical Nature and Importance of Gender Equity in Climate Change and Sustainability
19 March 2025, 12.00pm
Jan Grodecki Room (164), Leicester Law School, Fielding Johnson Building / MS Teams
As part of the CELI/IEF Annual Series 2024/25 on Climate Change, Energy Transition and Sustainability, convened by Dr Olalekan Bello, the Centre for European Law and Internationalisation (CELI) is teaming up with the Institute for Environmental Futures (IEF) to host Professor Karen Morrow (Swansea University) and Dr Zainab Mai-Bornu (University of Leicester) for an engaging and thought-provoking talk at the cutting edge of global climate action, energy transition, and sustainable development.
Intersectional Inclusion in Science for International Women's Day #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction
19 March 2025, 12.00pm-1.00pm
George Davies Centre Lecture Theatre 2
The College of Life Sciences is pleased to welcome Dr Jennifer Leigh from the University of Kent to discuss intersectional inclusion in science.
Science is perceived to be objective and meritocratic, with the impact of structural barriers and unconscious bias often left ignored. People are more than one aspect of their identity, and we need an intersectional perspective when looking at diversity and inclusion in science. As a chemist, movement therapist, and social scientist I have pioneered Embodied Inquiry within scientific research. Unlike more conventional social science methodologies and approaches Embodied Inquiry breaks down traditional dynamics of power. It adds depth, richness, honesty and emotion; facilitating the capture and connection with voices whose stories are less often heard, or subjects that are challenging to put into words. It is a means of listening, capturing, and disseminating data whilst allowing people to process their own experiences. Fictional vignettes derived from this research allow emotional engagement with stories of intersectional marginalisation. People tell me they felt less isolated, heard their own story, or had never realised the emotional impact of marginalisation before: “It meant a lot to me that I'm not alone in this struggle”.
Professor Jennifer Leigh works in Creative Practices for Social Justice in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Kent. She is a chemist turned sociologist, with a particular interest in using embodied, reflective, and creative practices for social justice. Her current work includes addressing and highlighting experiences of marginalisation in science due to intersectional factors including disability, gender, race, and caring responsibilities. Recognised in The Shaw Trust Disability Power 100, she founded and leads Kent’s Summer Vacation Research Competition for postdoctoral researchers and widening participation students, is a Co-Lead of NADSN’s STEMM Action Group, Vice Chair (Research) of the International Women in Supramolecular Chemistry Network, sits on the Wellcome Trust’s Inclusive Research Design and Practice Expert Advisory Group, and Vitae’s Policy Advisory Group and is the Athena Forum Disability Champion.
Let’s Do Leicester Women’s Only Gym
19 March 2025, 6.00pm-7.00pm
Danielle Brown Sports Centre
Join us for an additional weekly women’s onlygym session every Wednesday throughout March in support of Women’s History Month. Free, fun and for you!
Please note: These sessions are free for all University of Leicester students. Don’t forget your student ID otherwise you will be not be able to enter the facility.
Our usual Monday 6.00pm-7.00pm Women’s Only Gym sessions at Danielle Brown Sports Centre will continue throughout March.
For regular updates head to our social media: @letsdoleicester
Women's Health Café (Virtual)
20 March 2025, 12.00pm-12.45pm
Online (MS Teams)
Our regular Women's Health Cafés take place every 6-8 weeks over lunchtime (12pm - 12.45pm), usually as virtual topic sessions on Microsoft Teams.
Everyone is welcome to join us to ask questions, share experiences or just listen. You are also very welcome to eat your lunch during the Café.
Week 5 (24-30 March)
Let’s Do Leicester Women’s Only Gym
26 March 2025, 6.00pm-7.00pm
Danielle Brown Sports Centre
Join us for an additional weekly women’s onlygym session every Wednesday throughout March in support of Women’s History Month. Free, fun and for you!
Please note: These sessions are free for all University of Leicester students. Don’t forget your student ID otherwise you will be not be able to enter the facility.
Our usual Monday 6.00pm-7.00pm Women’s Only Gym sessions at Danielle Brown Sports Centre will continue throughout March.
For regular updates head to our social media: @letsdoleicester
WORD! International Women’s Day Special
27 March 2025, 7.00pm-9.00pm
Attenborough Arts Centre
Step into a world where words come alive… WORD! offers one of the UK’s longest-running poetry and spoken word nights.
Experience an intimate setting where celebrated poets and emerging voices share their work, connecting with the audience on a profound level. This Saboteur Award nominated event, uniquely co-produced by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and supported by Attenborough Arts Centre, promises an unforgettable evening filled with powerful performances, thought-provoking discussions, and a vibrant community spirit.
Don't miss out on this extraordinary celebration of poetry and spoken word. Mark your calendars and be part of an evening – and a movement – that will inspire and uplift.
Month-long
Sabrina Tirvengadum: Who Were They? Who Am I?
1-31 March, 12.00pm-5.00pm (weekdays), 12.00pm-4.00pm (weekends)
Gallery 2, Attenborough Arts Centre
In Who Were They? Who Am I? artist Sabrina Tirvengadum takes a personal journey into identity, ancestry and the hidden histories that shape who we are. Inspired by their father’s life and family stories passed down through generations, this exhibition connects personal narratives with the larger history of Indian indentured labour in Mauritius. At its heart, it asks a universal question: How much of who we are comes from who they were?
Using archival photographs, AI-generated imagery, digital art and film, Sabrina blends personal and collective memories to reimagine moments that were lost, hidden or never existed. This approach shows the nature of how memory works, mixing truth, interpretation and imagination.
A key part of this journey is the artist’s DNA link to the Marrier d’Unienville family: wealthy plantation owners who employed their great-grandmother as a maid. This discovery led to a deep exploration of privilege, labour, and lineage, which are central to the artwork If We Were Marrier d’Unienville. Through imagining alternative histories, this work invites us to think about the complex connections between ancestry, power and resilience.
Another highlight is the short film A Souvenir to Keep, made from rediscovered family footage of the artist’s first visit to Mauritius in 1993. The film captures the emotional experience of connecting with ancestral land and reflects the shared journeys of many people in diaspora communities, where longing and belonging intertwine.
Who Were They? Who Am I? is more than a question. It invites us to explore how history, family, and storytelling shape identity. By reimagining the stories of the past, Sabrina honours those who came before and asks us to reflect on our own connections to history and heritage.
David Wilson Library: International Women's Day Represent Display
1-31 March 2025
Exhibition Zone, David Wilson Library
Curated from recommendations from University students through the Represent campaign, the David Wilson Library will be promoting and showcasing the recommend titles to highlight the incredibly diverse range of voices in the Library's collection. These titles will be available and on display in the Exhibition Zone, with a full list available online via ReadingLists@Leicester