Award-winning author to deliver the keynote speech at the 23rd Congress of the Worldwide Association of Women Journalists and Writers
AMMPE PRESS RELEASE
Turkish British author Elif Shafak is to give the keynote address at the 23rd Congress of the Worldwide Association of Women Journalists and Writers. Joining a line-up of over 100 internationally acclaimed speakers for the four-day event, Elif will explore the central theme: ‘Telling the whole story: A complex world needs all its storytellers’.
The Congress, which is being held in the UK for the first time since the association was founded in Mexico in 1969, starts 6 November at the BBC’s central London headquarters.
Around 250 delegates from around the world are attending the event, which will take place across four locations: the BBC; City, University of London – hosted by the department of journalism; Google’s Kings Cross headquarters; and the University of Kent’s Medway campus in Rochester and Chatham.
Sarah Gibson, the current president of the Association, says the Congress theme is more important than ever.
“Despite #metoo, and the current centenary of female suffrage in the UK, there is still too much uniformity of voice, in our stories, in our newsrooms and in the voices we hear.
Female storytellers too often face discrimination, violence, and online harassment. We want to share best practice and hear from those who are really trying to make a difference around the world to diversity more broadly’.
Gibson says that she’s impressed at how much support the event has had. ‘It’s not just the impressive array of speakers – international journalists and academics, cultural leaders, and those from civil society. But it’s also our volunteers, our host partners co and others such as Pen UK, City Hall, the EBRD, Unesco, Women in Journalism, the Frontline Club and We Work.
Amongst the speakers are leading women’s rights campaigner Helen Pankhurst; award-winning Turkish journalist Banu Goven; academy-award winning screenwriter Gonzalo Maza; Chilean journalist turned successful politician Beatrice Sanchez; award-winning Mexican journalist Annabel Hernandez; prominent US radio host and podcaster Kelly McEvers; and Dorothy Byrne, head of news and current affairs at Channel Four and Chair of the Ethical Journalism Network.
The Worldwide Association of Women Journalists and Writers, known by its acronym AMMPE, is a not for profit organisation which was established by the Mexican writer Gloria Salas de Calderon in 1969.
It’s a loose association of women journalists and writers groups around the world. The presidency rotates every, two years. This year’s Congress has been put together by an organising committee from across the media, civil society and academia.
The website is www.ammpeworld.com.
Sarah Gibson is the Chief Operating Office for Celebro, a TV facilities company. Until earlier this year she was a senior manager at BBC News and co-founder of its Global Women in News network. She was elected President of the Congress in 2016 for a two-year term. Her successor will be announced on 9 November 2018.
Press Contacts
- For AMMPE – Sarah Gibson: +44 7793 207 033
- For the BBC Press Office – [email protected]
- For City, University of London Press Office – Ed Grover, Senior Communications Officer: [email protected] +44 207 040 3062
- For University of Kent – Laura Garcia: +44 7983 264 465