It’s time to take a step forward this International Women’s Day and embrace equity across Parramatta and Cumberland.
On Wednesday, March 8, Parramatta locals will be able to celebrate women’s achievements at a range of events running in the CBD.
Occurring for well over a century, each year International Women’s Day focuses on a key theme, with 2023’s encouraging people to #EmbraceEquity. The theme seeks to get the world talking about why equal opportunities are no longer enough.
In Parramatta Square, PHIVE is inviting people to swing by for coffee and to try something a little different with a special oracle card reading with artist Nicole Barakat.
From Tuesday, March 7, to Thursday, March 9, visitors will be able to take a seat on the lounge and enjoy a freshly poured cup of Lebanese coffee with Barakat offering an intuitive and unique interpretation of your coffee residue or Oracle Card. The event serves as an invitation to share, listen, reflect and be curious of a moment in time. The free sessions will run between 11.30 and 1.30pm.
PHIVE’s Library will also be hosting an ‘Embracing Equity: An International Women’s Day Panel Discussion’. The free event will bring together a line-up of experts to celebrate equity on March 8 from 6.30pm-7.30pm. Panellists will share their insights, experiences and provide actionable solutions to create a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Over at the Riverside Theatre, a cinema screening of artist Mary Cassatt’s works will be shown on March 8 and March 11. Cassatt made a career painting the lives of the women around her, depicting them as intellectual, feminine and real, which was a major shift in the way women appeared in art.
If you prefer more hands-on activities, Parramatta Women’s Shed will be holding a series of free introductory workshops. Visitors will be able to learn everything from how to make a plant stand to learning how to use tools to undertake a home DIY. Workshops will be held on March 8 and March 9, so make sure to get in quick before they all book up.
In Merrylands, Cumberland City Council will recognise the outstanding achievements of local women at an International Women’s Day Awards Ceremony on March 8 at the Holroyd Centre.
Mayor Lisa Lake said the awards are an opportunity to show appreciation for the contributions women make.
“Women make up almost half of the Cumberland population and many of their achievements go unnoticed, so I am very excited to be able to celebrate them in any way we can,” she said.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.