I’m so excited that this year Middlesex University’s Media department and by extension me  have been approached to form the blogging team to cover the talks at this year’s WOW – Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Center!

Although the programme hasn’t been finalised yet I do know that Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a professor at Middlesex will be chairing an event this year. Also in attendance will be Malala  Yousafzai, an influential campaigner since blogging at the age of 11, hitting headlines around the world in 2012 after the vile attack on her from extremists in the Swat Valley. However still having the courage since her life-or-death situation aged just 15 to go on to stand up and speak out for universal education of girls and an end to child labour. As I’m sure you can guess I am very, very excited (and blessed) to be seeing her live, as is my mother. My mother being an uneducated woman raised amidst a background much the same as Malala 50 years ago, within the borderlands between Pakistan and Kashmir cried her eyes out upon hearing of Malala’s plight praying day and night for her recovery. Upon hearing of my potential meeting with her through my new role at Middlesex University, where she often thinks I work too long I think this opportunity has gone a long way to building up a small ounce of pride in me, my profession and role within society in my mother’s eyes.