University News Last updated 05 November 2018
To celebrate the launch of a new book celebrating the inspiring stories of 30 Birmingham women, Birmingham City University will be a hosting a special City Talks event featuring those included in the book.
Commissioned by Birmingham City Council, ‘Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream’ has been written to commemorate the centenary of women’s right to vote in the UK, and includes city heroes such as Malala Yousafzai, Jessie Eden and multi award-winning CEO Raj Holness.
The free event will take place at the University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Wednesday 7 November at 6.15pm, where a distinguished panel will discuss the past, present and future of inspiring women influencing the second city.
The panel will be made up of some of the pioneering women featured in the book and those who made a contribution to its publication, including Raj Holness, Strategic Policing and Crime Board member Cath Hannon and artist Salma Zulfiqar. The panel will be chaired by Birmingham City University’s own Marverine Cole, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster.
Marverine Cole, Journalism – BA (Hons) Course Director, Birmingham City University, said:
The book details the stories of each of the women who ‘dared to dream’ and each entry is accompanied by a specially commissioned portrait. Each portrait has been created by a team of seven female artists with strong links to Birmingham. The illustrators include a quartet of Visual Communications graduates from Birmingham City University, including Saadia Hipkiss, who will also be on the event panel.
The event – ‘Birmingham Women Who Dared to Dream’ – forms part of Birmingham City University’s City Talks series. The series features a programme of high profile speakers who share their views and insights on a range of topics, promoting the institution’s ambition and aim of being a ‘university without walls’. The talks are free of charge, and open to the public.
Councillor Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader Birmingham City Council said:
This book has been produced in conjunction with female-run city publisher The Emma Press, author Louise Palfreyman and Writing West Midlands and copies will be available to purchase at the event.
To book tickets visit the City Talks webpage.
For more information about ‘Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream’ and to buy a copy, visit the Emma Press website or Amazon. It is also available at Foyles and Waterstones in Birmingham.