SPOTAHOME

Every year on March 8th, women (and men) from around the world get together to celebrate International Women’s Day. What started out as a protest by garment workers in New York City over 100 years ago has turned into a worldwide movement and a reminder of the pressing issues that still need to be tackled, including equal pay, maternity leave, and education for girls.

Earlier this year, we saw women around the world get together and stand up for their rights at the Women’s March in Washington and its sister marches in over 600 cities. If you’re a digital nomad or long-term traveller and missed out on marching, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate International Women’s Day this year while travelling. Here are 5 ways to celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme #BeBoldForChange:

Start a travelling feminist book club

Who says book clubs can’t travel? If you’re a roaming bookworm you can start a feminist book club with some like-minded girlfriends to discuss your favourite feminist literature and books by female authors. Simply set up a private Facebook group or Slack channel with your friends, pick a book each month and meet virtually to talk about it. For some inspiration, check out Goodreads’ Popular Book Club Books.

Official Events

An easy way to get involved is to join one of many official events organised in hundreds of cities. Travelling to Dubai? Why not join the Emirates Literature Festival, which has a panel of inspiring speakers. Staying in London? Then you’re spoilt for choice, from foodie events to documentary screenings and astronomy lectures, there’s something for everyone.

Brunch for the cause

Celebrating Women’s Day should also involve treating yourself a bit. After all, you’re a strong women who deserves a bit of self-love. Get together with some travel buddies for brunch at a restaurant or cafe run by women. Did you know that in the UK less than 20% of chefs are female? In the US, the number is even more shocking, with a mere 5% of head chefs and cooks being women! Zomato is curating lists of restaurants run by women in many cities. Want to go even further? Seek out an organisation like Daughters of Cambodia, an organisation that supports victims of sex trafficking.

Support Women’s Art

If you’re travelling in Italy this Wednesday, you’re in luck. The Italian government has announced that women can visit all museums for free this International Women’s Day. The idea is to celebrate female artists and highlight their work.

Visit a Women’s Museum

Culture hungry travellers can celebrate Women’s Day by visiting one of nearly 70 women’s museums around the world. Alternatively, you could visit museums dedicated to the life of inspiring women, like the Marie Curie Museum in Warsaw, Poland, or the Susan B. Anthony Museum in Battenville, New York.

Join the Thunderclap

For those of you busy travelling on a chicken bus all day, or off trekking in the Andes, you can still get involved and make some noise. Register for the official Thunderclap of International Women’s Day. It will automatically share a one-time message of support to #BeBoldForChange at 11:30 am GMT to your social media accounts. With just one click, you can support the Thunderclap and get women trending!

There are so many ways to get active and show your support for International Women’s Day while you’re travelling the world. Pick your favourite and share in the comments what you got up to!