From your halls to the city, here's how you mark it!

The 8th of March is almost here, and here are some ideas to make IWD feel real this year. 

What is International Women's Day?

👯‍♀️ International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and a reminder of how much work is still left to do. It has been observed on 8 March since the early 1900s.

🗺️ Get Out Into the City

London goes all out for IWD every year. Here are some events happening this week:

🎙️ Women Building Futures: Panel & Discussion

📍 Poplar Union, East London | 📅 5 March, 6pm | 🎫 Free

A free panel exploring how women sustain grassroots impact through creativity, care and collaboration. Speakers include Olympic swimmer and diversity advocate Alice Dearing and MP Apsana Begum. Poplar Union also runs an EmpowerHer Market (15 March) and wellness workshops throughout the month.

Follow @poplarunion for the full March programme.

🎷 Women in Jazz: In Conversation with Celeste 

📍 Southbank Centre | 📅 14 March, 2pm | 🎫 Free

Music journalist Emma Warren sits down with singer-songwriter Celeste to talk about her musical journey, her genre-defying sound, and the women shaping jazz today. Part of the Southbank Centre x Montreux Jazz Festival Residency and best part it is completely free.

Follow @southbankcentre and book your free ticket at southbankcentre.co.uk

🧵 Threads of Liberation

📍Mile End Library, Queen Mary University | 📅 25 March, 5:30pm | 🎫 Free

Queen Mary Archives and Tower Hamlets Archives showcase materials on women's liberation in East London, followed by a nakshi kantha (traditional Bengali embroidery) workshop led by Oitij-jo Collective, an organisation platforming British/Bangla women. History, craft, and community all in one evening.

Follow @oitij_jo and book your free place at eventbrite.co.uk

🎨 Women's Spring Open Exhibition 

📍 Brady Arts Centre, Whitechapel | 📅 6 – 28 March | 🎫 Free

A group art show celebrating female artists from across East London. Pastels, photography, collages and more. Free to drop in, five minutes from Whitechapel station! 

More info at towerhamlets.gov.uk

📖 Iranian Women's Voices 

📍 British Library, King's Cross | 📅 16 March, 7pm | 🎫 Ticketed (concessions available for under-25s)

WritersMosaic presents an evening of conversation, poetry, film and music celebrating a new publication by creative women from Iran and the diaspora. Writers Marjorie Lotfi, Sana Nassari and Shara Atashi are joined by Iranian musicians, with an opportunity to view the photography of Hengameh Golestan, documenting women protesting oppression in Iran. Powerful, moving, and just down the road.

Follow @writersmosaic and book at bl.uk/events

🏠 Celebrate in Halls

You don't need to go far to make the day feel meaningful.

🍽️ Host a "Women Who Shaped Me" Dinner

Ask everyone to bring a dish from home and share the story of one woman, famous, personal, or somewhere in between who influenced them. In a community as international as ours, this one is bound to go somewhere unexpected and brilliant.

📝 Put up a Post-it Appreciation Wall

Leave some Post-its in the common room and ask people to name a woman who's inspired them, a historical figure, someone in your field, or even a flatmate who deserves a shoutout! Stick them on the wall. It sounds small, but it's always nice to see

📸 Snap a photo and tag @lsereslife,we'd love to see your halls getting involved! 

🎬 Host a Movie Night

Pick a film by or about women or celebrating women: Hidden Figures, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Persepolis, or Legally Blonde if you want something a little lighter. Grab snacks, pile into the common room, and make a night of it.

🌷 OR Something Small, Just For You

If big plans aren't your thing, here are a few quieter ways to mark the day:

📖 Pick up Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

It will genuinely change how you see everyday systems and spaces and get you thinking. 

🛁 Have a self-care day

Run a bath, put on a face mask, make your favourite meal, go for a solo walk along the Thames or do whatever recharges you. IWD is also a reminder that looking after yourself is part of the bigger picture too.

OR just text the woman in your life who deserves to hear from you today. Sometimes that's enough.

Whether you're out in the city or in the common room, remember to celebrate. Happy IWD, folks! 💜