Workers Solidarity Movement

This Friday, March 8th sees the fourth year of celebrations on Douglas Street to mark International Women’s Day. We’ve got a programme covering the whole day, taking in quilting sessions, film screenings, dance and theatre performances, food and of course enough time to catch up with one another in between. With some help from our neighbours in Cork Open Centre and Very Healthy Food, the programme will run from 10am until 8pm. Give it a glance and drop down at some stage (if not for the whole day). All our events are free to attend, but as ever, donations are really appreciated.

International Women’s Day – Friday March 8th, Solidarity Books, 43 Douglas Street, Cork

Other events will be running in Mother Jones Flea Market on York Street, so keep an eye out there too. Keep an eye on the Solidarity Books website and Facebook page and the Mother Jones Flea Market Facebook page for more details.

Why We Celebrate
International Women's Day is a celebration that takes place every year on the 8th March. It is an unapologetically political event that first emerged in 1910 when Clara Zetkin  proposed that it be celebrated every year around the world at the Second International Conference of Socialist Women, subsequently to be celebrated by millions of women the world over. International Women’s day is a day where we get to highlight those women who are politically active, those who are fighting in their communities, and those who know that there can be a better world – whether created through daring art, politics or the simple yet radical acts of solidarity and caring.

International Women’s Day can be seen as an event to combat women's oppression globally, but many issues still remain for women in Ireland. Exploitation of migrant workers, difficulties for single mothers and a complacent non-recognition of care work are compounded with Irish women not having the basic rights over their bodies and sexuality. With the issue of abortion still looming in Ireland there are many fights to be had here at home.

With this year’s programme in Solidarity Books, we aim to highlight some of the above issues, but also to celebrate the passion and creativity that are as necessary to our idea of what revolution might mean today. We hope that this diversity is reflected in the programme we’ve put together and that you’ll join us on Douglas Street on Friday the 8th.

Programme:

10am - 1pm: "Flowers of Hope" – making a quilt for Turkish feminist, Pinar Selek.
Very Healthy Food, Douglas Street. Some materials provided – if you can, bring some along.
This session marks the beginning of a project to create a quilt that will be sent to Pinar.
Pınar Selek is a sociologist, pacifist, anti-militarist, feminist and writer. She is well-known for her prolific work on the rights of vulnerable communities in Turkey. Selek has been prosecuted over a 15-year period in Turkey in connection to an explosion that occurred at a bazaar in Istanbul in 1998. Her prosecution of is linked to her work in the mid 90s when as a sociologist researching Kurdish issues, she interviewed members of the banned Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK). Tried and acquitted of all charges on three occasions, her most recent acquittal was amended in November 2012 by the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court, which sentenced her to life in prison in January 2013.

3pm: ‘The Forgotten Maggies’ (2009) 51 mins.
Documentary telling the stories of four women whose lives were marked by their forced placement in Ireland’s Magdalene laundries.

4:30pm: 'X is for anonymous' (2012) 33 mins.
Three student filmmakers interrogate why successive governments have failed in their duty to another generation, and whether the next generation can hope for this much anticipated legislation.
Both films in Solidarity Books – discussion to follow each.

6pm: Butoh dance performance by Claire Keating followed by a Bellydance performance by Louise Devoy.

6:30pm: Sawa Le! perform “On Our Way” (Act One)
Sawa Le! means "Together With" in Swahili and Irish. Sawa Le! Arts Collective is a migrant-led arts group formed in 2011 by five African Women who wanted to write stories and express themselves though drama. The group aims to provide a space for drama for migrant and indigenous Irish people who wish to work together.
“On Our Way” is an ongoing drama project exploring the lives of African women on their journey to a new life in Ireland.
All performances in Cork Open Centre, 77 Douglas St (just opposite Solidarity Books/up from Very Healthy Food).

7pm: Food and chat back at Solidarity Books.
Veg Out! Will provide some nibbles but we’d encourage anyone who can to bring something along to share.
We’ll be wrapping up to get to the Mother Jones Flea Market by 9pm for a piece by Lady Grew about the life of Mother Jones.

Read more about International Womens Day