International Women's Day: Acts of Memory

When I woke up this morning, I got out of bed ready to go to Feisty & Female as a Special Guest Storyteller with my story, Mother Moon. But I had a strange sense of this being a new day, a different day, a special day. Off course, International Women's Day is all of these things.

A few weeks ago in Uni, at The Atrium, Cardiff, we had a lecture from Márta Minier about 

Acts of Memory: Monica Ross. 

As a performance Artist, for the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Monica had learnt, embodied and recited the Declaration, touring & inviting others to embody the acts that spoke to them & join her. 

(See acts of memory website for full details ww.actsofmemory.net)

I was so moved that I wanted to organise something in respect of Monica, particularly as there is a request on acts of memory website to

 'continue the work'...  

And then today, on International Women's Day, 

I had complete clarity.

 I printed off gender neutral versions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

And when I stood for my Special Guest Spot as a Storyteller at Feisty & Female, St.David's Arts Hall, University of Wales, Lampeter

I asked the group if I could share the story of Monica Ross instead of Mother Moon

The group agreed. Maj Ikle Co-Organiser of Feisty & Female, rang the prayer bowl and we held a minute of silence in recognition of the absence and in respect of the Late Monica Ross,who sadly passed away after the 59th performance 

of her 60 date tour. 

Then we read the acts until it seemed right to stop. 

Once we had finished, I asked all the 40 women to share 'acts of memory' within their lives.

Thank you Maj Ikle & Sylvie Cooke for organising a safe space for women to come together & share their lives through creativity.