GMIT to celebrates International Women’s Day with series of events

GMIT has announced an exciting programme of events for students and staff celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day on the theme ‘Choose to Challenge’ (#ChooseToChallenge).

International Women’s Day on March 8 celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and is a collective day of global celebration and a call for gender equality. GMIT is marking this special day with a series of virtual events running throughout the day, from public talks and seminars to an art exhibition delivered by GMIT staff, students and special guests.

The series kicks off at 10.30 a.m. with a ‘Coffee break with poetry and prose’, where budding and established writers within GMIT will read some of their work.

This is followed by a lunchtime seminar from 1 to 2 p.m. where five 10-minute presentations will be given on contemporary and historical themes or figures relating to gender and equality. The presentations will be delivered by lecturers and academics in the Mayo campus in a forum chaired by GMIT’s Dr. John Mulloy.

An art exhibition titled ‘My Space’ will be formally launched online at 2.30 p.m. Third year students of the BA in Contemporary Art Practices programme in GMIT Mayo are showcasing their work in progress. The work will be introduced by art lecturer Hazel Walker and ranges from drawing, painting, print, 3D work, animation, and digital experiments, reflecting themes incorporating personal histories, physical, digital and metaphysical spaces, including domestic challenges encountered in dealing with day-to-day life during the pandemic.

At 3 p.m., an online event takes place titled ‘In conversation with’ …. Mayo Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh, Dr. Orla Flynn and BA Social Care student Amina Momoh will take part in a discussion about gender equality and challenges women face and overcome in different contexts.

The Galway International Hotel School is also hosting an event: Jacinta Dalton, Head of Department Culinary Arts, in association with Dr. Sally McKenna and the Ludgate Hub will host a virtual 'Women in Irish Food' event. This will consist of key panel discussions around industry topics and virtual networking parallel sessions for those in food or interested in food. Details will be published via @gmithotel social media on the day.

Mary Nestor, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at GMIT, says: “We are excited to hold such a broad range of events to mark this important day where the achievements of women are celebrated and given the recognition they deserve. Challenges related to the pandemic have intensified inequalities for many women and it is important to create a forum to discuss and celebrate women’s contribution to society in a positive and affirmative way.”

Dr. Orla Flynn, President of GMIT, added: “I am delighted that two of our outstanding women who are exemplary leaders in their respective areas in our institute, Mary Rogers, Head of the GMIT Department of Building and Civil Engineering, and Maria Staunton, GMIT Mayo iHub Manager and EMPOWER Coordinator, will feature in this year’s THEA International Women’s Day Digital Campaign, which will be unveiled on THEA’s website and on social media platforms on March 8.”.

Full details of the THEA campaign will be available on http://www.thea.ie/iwd2021 on Monday, March 8.