WOW Athens: A Celebration of Women and Inclusion

In a time when hard-fought and -won civil rights are under threat, women’s rights are once again at the forefront of global discourse, with more platforms advocating gender equality than ever before.

One would think that after so many decades of struggle, equal rights and inclusivity would be the norm. But sadly, this is still not the reality.

Determined to accelerate change by reaching out to a wider audience, Liverpool-born theatre director and producer Jude Kelly founded the Women of the World (WOW) Festival in 2010. Fifteen years later, WOW has grown into the world’s largest event for girls, women, and nonbinary people. Now a global movement, WOW has hosted approximately 150 festivals in 71 locations worldwide, drawing an audience of some 5.3 million. In its spotlight? Achievements and critical issues such as education, workplace rights, gender-based violence, and representation.

Liverpool-born theater director and producer Jude Kelly, who founded the Women of the World (WOW) Festival in 2010.

Greece is an active participant in this powerful movement. For the third consecutive year, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), a frontrunner in cultural and social initiatives, will be hosting the WOW – Women of the World Festival; this year’s edition will be held on April 4-7.

TO BHMA International Edition sat down with Athena Balopoulou, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at the SNFCC, to discuss what WOW Athens can bring to Greece.

The WOW Athens Agenda

For four days, the SNFCC will come to life with an impressive line-up of events and speakers. Organized in collaboration with the WOW Foundation and the British Council, WOW Athens is back by popular demand with an ambitious goal: to foster gender equality and raise public awareness about the challenges women and nonbinary individuals face today.

Through a dynamic mix of talks, music, dance, poetry, theater, workshops, and storytelling, the festival seeks not only to highlight pressing issues but also to empower future generations through mentorship.

This year, WOW Athens explores a range of critical topics, including gender fatigue, intersectionality, the struggles faced by women in Greece’s rural and remote areas, motherhood and the choice to remain child-free, and sexism in the workplace. The festival will also focus on the barriers women encounter in their careers.

“The festival touches on many different aspects of women’s lives and femininity. I would be surprised if anyone attending WOW Athens didn’t find something that resonated with them; something that concerned them, challenged them, or even changed their perspective,” says Balopoulou.

Additional discussions will delve into the political alienation of genders, climate change and ecofeminism, and the power of digital activism in shaping feminist movements.

Challenging Stereotypes

One of the main challenges for organizers this year has been shifting the perception that WOW Athens is only relevant to a select audience. “There is a misconception that gender-related events are ‘special interest’ events,” Balopoulou tells TO BHMA International Edition. “But ensuring a society of inclusion and equality isn’t just about minorities; it’s about collective well-being.”

A key goal of the festival is to attract a diverse audience, including those who may not yet see how these issues affect them. “The challenge is to bring people of all genders into WOW Athens discussions and events, including those who might still be questioning why this conversation matters and concerns them,” Balopoulou adds.

Another priority is amplifying voices that have yet to be heard. During the festival’s planning phase, SNFCC organizers engage with the broader WOW Athens network to exchange ideas and identify the most pressing topics for panel discussions and keynote speeches.

“One of our top priorities,” Balopoulou explains, “is to seek out voices that have not yet had a platform, particularly from marginalized communities that we may not have reached before. To do this, we collaborate with groups, collectives, and institutions, asking them to strengthen the WOW network by connecting us with individuals who can share perspectives we might otherwise overlook. This approach deepens intersectionality and inclusiveness, ensuring the festival evolves in a truly representative way.”

Going Beyond Boundaries

At its core, the WOW Festival is about breaking barriers and engaging people of all genders in meaningful conversations through storytelling and the sharing of lived experiences in order to drive real change toward a more inclusive world.

“We are very pleased to see WOW Athens becoming an institution,” says Balopoulou, attributing its success to a growing culture of open dialogue in the public sphere.

“People are increasingly seeking platforms where they can find information, ask questions, and express their thoughts in a safe space. They want to share their concerns, their stories, and why not, their own proposals for solutions,” she adds.

This year’s WOW Athens comes at a crucial moment. While the WOW movement is gaining momentum globally, hard-won achievements in gender equality and human rights are facing new challenges in a frighteningly unstable social landscape.

“We must remain vigilant,” Balopoulou warns. “The current situation not only threatens to reverse progress on gender equality, it also endangers the rights of marginalized communities. An interdisciplinary approach is essential, as social injustices and oppression can sometimes be perpetuated even by those who have experienced them firsthand.”

“Time of my life” a concert during WOW Athens 2024 at the SNFCC. Photo by Mariza Kapsabeli

Femicide in Greece: Breaking the Silence

The conversation inevitably turned to the alarming rise in femicides in Greece. Over the past five years, more than 50 women have been killed by their partners, and more than 200 individuals are arrested weekly for domestic violence. Yet these figures only represent reported cases; many more remain hidden, buried beneath a culture of silence and stigma. Greece has a long and troubling history of gender-based violence, where justice is often elusive and entire communities choose to look the other way.

Despite growing calls for action, the Greek government has yet to officially recognize “femicide” as a distinct legal term. At the same time, gender discrimination continues to be perpetuated where you would least expect it: in the political sphere. A recent example occurred on International Women’s Day, when a male conservative MP harassed Zoe Konstantopoulou, leader of the Plefsi Eleftherias party, in Parliament, telling her to “go have or adopt kids.” This blatant act of sexism in the nation’s highest legislative body demonstrates the deep-seated biases that hinder progress in Greece.

Can WOW Athens Spark Change?

Violence against women has always been on the WOW Athens agenda with the focus this year on domestic violence. “How can we claim progress when both current events and research findings repeatedly remind us that society still fails to ensure equal physical, emotional, and psychological safety for all—both in public and private spheres,” says Balopoulou.

“We can never say we’ve done enough when violence against women has become part of our everyday reality,” she adds. “For change to happen, we must bring these conversations into the open, breaking the taboo of secrecy while also identifying institutional shortcomings.”

Beyond tackling domestic violence, WOW Athens is also working to promote broader social inclusion. While Greece made history last year by becoming the first Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage, true acceptance is still elusive.

“To shift the mindset, we need optimism, but also realism and courage to continue pushing forward from where each of us stands, but also with an eye on those who stand next to and across from us.”

Teaching Consent

One of the festival’s key events is an ongoing initiative titled “Consent”, designed for school-aged children. Hosted by the SNFCC, the program invites students and educators from across Greece to explore the meaning of consent and envision a future free of gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes. This year, students were encouraged to create projects on the theme of consent, which will be showcased on April 7.

Participants explore ‘The role of men in the fight for gender equality’ during WOW Athens 2024. Photo by Mariza Kapsabeli

This year’s WOW Athens brings together powerful voices, including Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay, award-winning writer Carmen Maria Machado, and The Principles of Pleasure producer Thalia Mavros.

Film screenings will spark discussions on gender identity and social change, featuring Orlando, My Political Biography by queer philosopher Paul B. Preciado and RBG, a documentary chronicling Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s journey from law student to icon of justice.

Music takes center stage with a performance by Grammy-winning Pakistani artist Arooj Aftab, blending Persian traditions with jazz and electronic elements. Meanwhile, exhibitions will confront critical issues like women’s safety and femicide.

What does Balopoulou hope WOW Athens 2025 can achieve? To challenge, touch, and inspire attendees through fearless conversations. The key to getting the most out of the event, she says, is coming with empathy, openness, and a willingness to engage with ideas that may be unfamiliar but vital to shaping a more inclusive world.

* WOW Athens takes place on April 4-7 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on 364 Syngrou Ave. Tickets and day passes are available online and at the door. For a detailed program of event go here.