Celebrating International Women’s Day, UK
1,400+ women • Year-long Women’s Forum initiative • 4 key focus areas
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha celebrated International Women’s Day at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London, on Saturday 14 March 2015.
The event was organised to inspire change, raise awareness and empower women to make positive changes in their lives, families and the wider community. It also marked the beginning of a year-long initiative by the BAPS Women’s Forum focusing on four important areas: respect, independence, health and safety.
More than 1,400 women attended the evening, which began with prayers for world peace. The programme then explored the first theme of the year, ‘Be Respectful’, through a thought-provoking game show and a powerful debate examining different views and challenges associated with respect.
A contemporary shadow dance depicting the different stages of a woman’s life provided a fitting conclusion to the programme.
The Chief Guest was Ms Ritula Shah, journalist and news presenter for The World Tonight and the Saturday edition of PM on BBC Radio 4, who had also previously presented Woman’s Hour on Radio 4.
In her keynote address, Ms Shah shared her vision of what women can achieve when provided with the right support and guidance. She encouraged women to be progressive while remaining committed to their culture, family and profession. Drawing from her own experiences, she spoke of being inspired by “the many lessons learned to help women be financially independent, healthy and kind.”
She also encouraged women to strengthen their relationships and support one another, saying, “As women, we can join together and build our relationships. Let’s unite and help one another.”
The programme provided valuable information and inspiration for women of all ages. One attendee described gaining a “new-found energy” to “move forward in life while still being grounded in my values and beliefs.”
Amee Desai, one of the lead organisers, highlighted the many dimensions of a woman’s life and the importance of progressing while remaining respectful. She noted that feedback from attendees had been overwhelmingly positive and expressed hope that the event would inspire many more women to progress in their chosen paths.