The University of Nottingham is set to welcome the HeForShe campaign to its University Park campus on Wednesday 30th September with the inaugural #GetFree tour.
Launched in 2014 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson, HeForShe aims to create a global conversation about gender equality.
To kickstart its #GetFree tour, the University will host talks from senior University staff, Students’ Union representatives, representatives from UN women, and The Telegraph Women’s Editor Emma Barnett on the importance of gender equality.
The #GetFree tour will encourage students, staff and the public to explore gender issues, with the objective of empowering them to lead in advancing equality in their communities.
“We fully support the HeForShe agenda and recognise the importance in encouraging men to speak out and stand up for gender equality”
Wednesday’s event will be introduced by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Greenaway, followed by talks from Emma Barnett and Students’ Union Activities Officer Rob Jennings.
A panel debate with Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Cox, President of the Students’ Union Angharad Smith, and HeforShe IMPACT Corporate Champion Jessie McGhie will also take place.
Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham, said: “I am looking forward to this event, which is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our values as a University”.
He added: “We fully support the HeForShe agenda and recognise the importance in encouraging men to speak out and stand up for gender equality.
“Our staff and students are working together on this, and by hosting this event on our University Park Campus we hope to raise awareness of these issues to staff, students and our local community.”
“It is this generation of young people who will be the ones to steer our societies and our economies into the living reality of what it means to be equal”
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, said: “It is this generation of young people who will be the ones to steer our societies and our economies into the living reality of what it means to be equal. Their energy and dedication to making this change happen are inspiring.
“The GetFree tour is a perfect way for us to connect directly with thousands of students. We are grateful to the universities for their warm welcome and hope that this is just the beginning of a journey around the world on the road to gender equality.”
Following Wednesday’s event, a meeting will be held n the Hub in Portland Building on October 7th at 6pm to discuss the campaign and give students the opportunity to have their voices heard.
Angharad Smith, President of the Students’ Union, said: “With the HeForShe movement coming to Nottingham, we are using this opportunity to bring together a variety of student groups to start an Umbrella campaign led by students to tackle concepts such as ‘lad culture’ and issues such as sexual consent, gender inequality and sexual violence”.
Tamsin Parnell
Image: via The University of Nottingham
