Book Festival Tickets here

Shakti Women's Empowerment Festival
Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd September 2018
The Byron Theatre
at Byron Community  Centre
The Festival is an initiative of ARD(Australia)Inc, a local charity that has been supporting women in rural India since 2005 and which is currently running a Reproductive and Child Health programme and has established eight Literacy Centres for adolescent girls who otherwise would receive no formal education.

The aim of the festival is to Explore, Celebrate and Promote women's empowerment and to bring active awareness regarding the strengths of women in our society today, while at the same time supporting a local programme that is empowering women in rural India.

The Festival begins on Friday night with an entertaining and eclectic musical concert, and includes a presentation of WEIV’s work in India. The following day’s program is made up of inspiring topical forums on themes detailed below. The day closes with a delightful evening performance of Indian classical dance exploring Women’s Empowerment.

Delicious meals, snacks and drinks will be available for the duration of the Festival, brought to you by With A Spoon Catering.

Book Festival Tickets here

Programme:
Friday 21st September
7:00 - 9:30pm - Women in Concert
Featuring Meninas da Lua, Sarah Temporal (Poet), Clancy Menzies, Sophie Ozard, Abbie Cardwell, Parissa Bouas, The Loveys and Sharny Russell, including a Presentation - Women’s Empowerment in Indian Villages (WEIV)
10pm Close

Saturday 22nd September
8:00 - 9:00am - Gentle Yoga Stretches by the sea, with Grace Benn

10:00 - 12 noon - The Art of Expression Forum

Chair: Karena Wynn-Moylan (Fine Artist and presenter of Arts Canvass on BayFM), Laurel Cohn (Book Editor and Writer), Catherine Marciniak (documentary director, writer and cinematographer), Liat Sokal (dancer, actor, story-teller), Jenni Cargill-Strong (Storyteller, labyrinth maker, story tree, stories on foot, stories in the club).

12:00 - 1:00pm - Break for Lunch

1:00 - 2:30pm - Women for Environmental Justice Forum

Chair: Sandra Heilpern (Author and Nature Conservation Council Executive Officer), Annie Kia (Lock The Gate), Sue Higginson (Former Environmental Defenders Office), Mary Gardner (Local Writer, Biologist and Photographer), Nan Nicholson (Rainforest Activist and Publisher),  with Special Storytelling by Jenni Cargill-Strong

3:00 - 3:30pm - Public Act Theatre
'empowering women through theatre'

4:00 - 5:30pm - Women for Social Justice Forum

Chair: Melanie Lotfali (Northern NSW Local Health District Domestic Violence Prevention Officer), Delta Kay (Aboriginal Cultural Educator at Arakwal Aboriginal Corporation), Wendy Royston (Women’s Empowerment in Indian Villages programme), Ella Goninan (First Light, Renew Fest, COREM), Deborah Pearse (Byron Youth Services), Tamara Smith MP (Member for Ballina) with Special Storytelling by Donna Jacobs Sife.

6:00 - 7:00pm - Break for Dinner

7:00 - 7:30pm - Presentation - Women’s Empowerment in Indian Villages (WEIV)
7:30 - 9:30pm - Indian Classical Dance featuring Karma Dance from Melbourne
10pm Close

Delicious meals, snacks and drinks will be available for the duration of the Festival, brought to you by With A Spoon Catering.

Book Festival Tickets here