NATIONAL CONGRESS OF WOMEN 2021
Day One — Women Rising. Why Women? Why Now?
Program
At-a-glance program for printing
10.00am Gathering
Artistic opening — 'Dear Earth', music by Johanna McBride, sung by A Chorus of Women with visuals by Sally Blake
Welcome and introduction — Dr Janet Salisbury, Founder, Women's Climate Congress
Welcome/acknowledgement of country — Dr Matilda House, Ngambri-Ngunnawal elder, Chair of the Ngambri Local Aboriginal Land Council, Queanbeyan, NSW
'The Singing Hill' — A story about women's voices and the hill beneath the Australian Parliament House told by Glenda Cloughley and friends
Further details
10.30 -12.00 am Wisdom conversation
Why women? Why now?
Exploring worldviews and experiences of women leading change
Guests:
Contributor bios
12.00 pm Breakout groups and open conversation
12.30 pm Artistic presentation and reflection by Courtney Allen, dancer
Owl calls out for a mate amongst the silence and devastation of the burnt forest
Further details
12.45 pm LUNCH
1.30 pm The #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition
A project of Women Photographers Australia, presented by Hilary Wardaugh
Further details
1.45-2.45 pm Wisdom conversation
Women are angry about climate change too!
This session is a nod to the recent ABC 7.30 report series 'Why are women angry' and will allow expression of women's authentic feeling of anger and/or outrage, alongside the Congress vision to promote collaboration and nonpartisan action on climate change.
Contributor bios
2.45-3.00 pm Artistic presentation
Video presentation of of work by Janet Laurence
3.00-4.00 pm Wisdom conversation
How can we get there?
This session will explore the systems changes ‘women rising’ can promote to transform the political and public response to climate change — to draw on our true strengths in kindness, love, compassion and empathy to rebalance environmental and economic priorities and to bring climate safety for future generations and preservation of all life on Earth.
Guests:
Contributor bios
4.00- 4.50 pm Wind up and what next?
Breakout groups – what has resonated with you
The WCC team + guests – insights and next steps
4.50 pm Artistic close (note update to end at 5.00 pm instead of 4.30 as previously advertised)
Program
At-a-glance program for printing
10.00am Gathering
Artistic opening — 'Dear Earth', music by Johanna McBride, sung by A Chorus of Women with visuals by Sally Blake
Welcome and introduction — Dr Janet Salisbury, Founder, Women's Climate Congress
Welcome/acknowledgement of country — Dr Matilda House, Ngambri-Ngunnawal elder, Chair of the Ngambri Local Aboriginal Land Council, Queanbeyan, NSW
'The Singing Hill' — A story about women's voices and the hill beneath the Australian Parliament House told by Glenda Cloughley and friends
Further details
10.30 -12.00 am Wisdom conversation
Why women? Why now?
Exploring worldviews and experiences of women leading change
Guests:
- Dr Anne Poelina, Traditional Owner and a guardian of the Mardoowarra, Lower Fitzroy River, fellow of Notre Dame/Charles Sturt universities
- Professor Penny Sackett, former Chief Scientist
- Cristina Talacko, President, Coalition for Conservation
- Dr Helen Haines MP, Independent member for Indi
- Licia Heath, CEO of Women for Election Australia
Contributor bios
12.00 pm Breakout groups and open conversation
12.30 pm Artistic presentation and reflection by Courtney Allen, dancer
Owl calls out for a mate amongst the silence and devastation of the burnt forest
Further details
12.45 pm LUNCH
1.30 pm The #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition
A project of Women Photographers Australia, presented by Hilary Wardaugh
Further details
1.45-2.45 pm Wisdom conversation
Women are angry about climate change too!
This session is a nod to the recent ABC 7.30 report series 'Why are women angry' and will allow expression of women's authentic feeling of anger and/or outrage, alongside the Congress vision to promote collaboration and nonpartisan action on climate change.
- Angela Priestley, Co-owner, Women's Agenda
- Janet Laurence, environmental artist
- Professor Danielle Celermajer, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney, Author of Summertime, 2021)
- Aoibhinn Crimmins, lead organiser, global School Strike 4 Climate 2019, intersectional feminist, student of environmental science and politics, philosophy and economics (ANU)
Contributor bios
2.45-3.00 pm Artistic presentation
Video presentation of of work by Janet Laurence
3.00-4.00 pm Wisdom conversation
How can we get there?
This session will explore the systems changes ‘women rising’ can promote to transform the political and public response to climate change — to draw on our true strengths in kindness, love, compassion and empathy to rebalance environmental and economic priorities and to bring climate safety for future generations and preservation of all life on Earth.
Guests:
- Natalie Isaacs, founder of 1 Million Women
- Dr Mary Graham (First Nations, UQ, community leader)
- Professor Kim Rubenstein, Co-Director, 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, University of Canberra; inaugural convenor, ANU Gender Institute (2011-2012)
- Sanaya Khisty, Chief Strategy Officer, Beyond Zero Emissions, Melbourne Uni Pathways to Politics Program 2017, Women's Environmental Leadership Australia 2020
Contributor bios
4.00- 4.50 pm Wind up and what next?
Breakout groups – what has resonated with you
The WCC team + guests – insights and next steps
4.50 pm Artistic close (note update to end at 5.00 pm instead of 4.30 as previously advertised)