On Saturday 9 March, we welcomed over 160 people, including 96 alumnae and 40 current students, to the New Hall Society International Day. This event has taken place annually since 2011, giving students past and present the opportunity to celebrate International Women’s Day together, and to learn more about the experience of women across the world.
and Chilombo Musa*
The evening began with a drinks reception followed by a series of talks and entertainment in the Buckingham House Lecture Theatre.
This year, we were delighted to be joined by five speakers and performers:
- Chilombo Musa is a PhD student at the Faculty of Land Economy. Her PhD explores the politics of informal urban land and housing markets, and their role in creating sustainable living spaces for the urban poor in Zambia. Chilombo’s informative and inspiring talk centred on women and land ownership in Zambia.
- Youngcho Lee is a PhD student in the University’s Department of Sociology. She is interested in issues of gender equality, social and development policies, production and reproduction, and feminist research methodologies. Youngcho gave an impassioned talk about the spy-cam epidemic in women’s lavatories in South Korea.
- Gulmira Kanayeva is a PhD student at the Faculty of Education. Her doctoral thesis explores the development of teacher-leadership in the post-Soviet, central Asian context of Kazakhstan, and she spoke authoritatively about identity for Kazakh women.
- Pallavi Panda is a PhD student at the Department of Genetics. She performed a beautiful Indian classical dance, which originates from the eastern coastal state of Odisha.
- Students from Mulberry Academy Shoreditch gave a rousing performance of a piece they devised themselves about two influential and inspiring women - George Sand and Irena Sendler - who strived for equality, change and doing what they felt was right through being themselves.
Following the talks and performances, Dame Barbara Stocking, President of Murray Edwards College, encouraged guests to take part in a Q&A session with the speakers before inviting everyone to the Dome for a sumptuous dinner.
We rounded off the evening with an engaging performance from the Cambridge University India Society Bollywood Troupe, after which we invited guests to take part in a ‘give it a go’ dance class, which was very much enjoyed by all who participated. Guests who were feeling less energetic were able to enjoy coffee and tea in the Fellows’ Drawing Room.
Dame Barbara commented: “It is always a pleasure to host the annual New Hall Society International Day as it seems such a fitting way to honour the strong international presence of the College at its alumnae. As ever, the evening was full of stimulating talks and performances, engaging conversation and marvellous food. Many thanks to our speakers, everyone who helped to organise the event and all of our guests for making it another truly memorable evening, celebrating the achievements of women.”
*Image courtesy of Winston Sanders Photography