The university’s first ever virtual diversity festival is taking place from Monday 8 to Friday 19 March 2021.

The festival focuses on ‘embracing and celebrating difference’ with more than 20 complementary keynote and local virtual events open to staff, students and alumni. These are available through our diversity festival web hub.

Highlights include:

• An interview with Gilles Peterson, broadcaster, DJ and record collector who hosts a weekly Saturday afternoon show on BBC Radio 6.
• Nadia Whittome MP, Dr Supriya Garikipati and Moss Mitson join a panel discussion focusing on period inequality and debunking stigma and myths around menstruation.
• Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE (Chancellor) and Professor Shearer West CBE (Vice-Chancellor) reflect on their own experiences of challenging conversations and discuss how self-reflection helps to acquire new awareness.
• Dr Li Shean Toh and Dr Tracey Warren share their research into the impact of Covid-19 on minority groups and explore the potential implications for university strategy and policy.
• Obianuju Amamgbo, Work Coach, Department for Work and Pensions, provides practical advice on the support available for our staff and students who are also carers.

Want to get involved? Submit an image to our expo that celebrates the five ways to wellbeing (connect, be active, take notice, learn and give). A selection of these images will be shared during the festival to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

The festival also celebrates International Women’s Day and signposts to events and activities from LGBT+ history month.

Want to find out more? Go to our diversity festival web hub to view the schedule, see our contributors, book onto keynote events and submit expo images. You’ll also be able to access recorded content from Monday 8 March 2021.

Any questions? Submit your question via our diversity festival web hub.