Women of the World (WOW) Festival returns to the Southbank Centre

A festival celebrating woman, girls and non-binary people has announced the headliners for this year’s event, which includes Elizabeth Day, Lisa Taddeo and Pandora Sykes.

Women of the World (WOW) returns to the Southbank Centre for its 2022 London Festival from March 11 to 13.

The newly revealed line-up includes events with Black Lives Matter co-founder and former Executive Director and TIME 100 most influential person Patrisse Cullors.

Author and broadcaster Elizabeth Day of the podcast phenomenon How to Fail and bestselling writers Lisa Taddeo and Pandora Sykes will also have events.

Lucy Kirkwood’s searing, timely play Maryland will be performed as well as Little Wimmin, a brilliantly satirical adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic.

They join previously announced bestselling author Marian Keyes, poet Warsan Shire, comedian Deborah Frances-White, activist Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, as well as The Urgent Conversation, a panel on the most pressing gender equality issues.

On March 11 WOW will present Patrisse Cullors: An Abolitionist Journey.

At the event the New York Times Best-Selling author, artist, educator and abolitionist will launch her ground-breaking second book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World.

Ms Cullors will discuss how everyday activists can get the tools to effectively fight for a world where communities are treated with dignity, care and respect.

Leading with love, fierce compassion and precision, she reimagines what reparations look like for Black lives and offers an innovative approach on how to be a modern-day abolitionist.

Also on Friday evening, Lisa Taddeo, New York Times bestselling author of Three Women, will be in conversation with Pandora Sykes, podcaster, journalist and author of Sunday Times bestseller How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right?.

The US and UK literary legends come together to discuss what happens when we are pushed to the brink.

On Sunday afternoon Elizabeth Day will be joined by a line-up of special guests for Sunday Afternoon at WOW with Elizabeth Day.

They will share their highs and lows, loves, challenges and failures.

WOW Festival will also present performances as part of the 2022 line-up.

On Sunday afternoon WOW will present a script-in-hand performance of Lucy Kirkwood’s Maryland, in partnership with the Royal Court Theatre.

The play is an urgent, extraordinary, communal rallying cry in response to the normalising of horrific actions being committed against all women and victims of gendered violence.

This reprised performance is co-directed by Milli Bhatia, Vicky Featherstone and Lucy Morrison, and will be followed by a panel discussion with members of the creative team.