The Queen celebrates remarkable women and girls with the WOW Festival
Published
Her Majesty The Queen, President of WOW - Women of the World, has hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate International Women’s Day and mark the end of the WOW Girls Festival Bus tour. Read on for more.
The WOW Girls Festival Bus Tour has been brought to a close at a reception hosted by President of WOW, Her Majesty The Queen, following International Women’s Day (8th March).
The WOW Girls festival is a force for change across society in how it sees girls, their potential and the opportunities it offers for their future.
Accompanied at the reception by The Queen of the Belgians and The Duchess of Gloucester, The Queen visited the WOW Bus, parked at its final tour destination, and met young people who were taking part in activities in the recording studio and craft sessions on board.
The WOW Bus is an interactive space, delivering workshops and activities to all corners of the UK and reaching young people from all backgrounds in the heart of their own communities.
The interior of the WOW Bus has been adapted to allow groups, individuals and families to take part in activities designed by WOW to explore creatively issues around gender equality, including through play, reading, digital experience, video and a recording studio.
The Bus tour launched on 11th October, the International Day of the Girl and concludes at Buckingham Palace following International Women’s Day on Friday 8th March.
Inside Buckingham Palace, The Queen, The Queen of the Belgians and The Duchess of Gloucester also met a group of high profile individuals, including Dame Helen Mirren, Melanie Brown and her daughter, Phoenix Brown.
Addressing guests, Her Majesty said:
Your achievements and your courage are great causes for celebration. As I have followed the progress of the WOW bus across all four corners of the country, I have been enormously impressed to hear of the mentorship that has been offered, the panel discussions that have challenged and strengthened those present, and the partnerships that have been forged with organisations that are, year round, doing incredible work with young people.
During the event, The Queen was presented with a very special Barbie, in recognition of her work supporting the WOW Festival as its President.
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