Summary

  • WOW and BBC Arts hosted a weekend-long virtual WOW festival here - head to the Videos page to catch up with all of the sessions.

  • Sunday's events featured live yoga classes. In between, we heard Big Ideas and Conversations, Views on the News, Women from History and the Great Big WOW Quiz.

  • Speakers on Sunday included Sandi Toksvig, Maxine Peake, Emma Dabiri, Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Liz Carr, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Kieran Yates, Rebecca Solnit and Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff.

  • Join the discussion at #WOWxBBC

  • The WOW foundation is a charitable organisation that believes 'a gender equal world is desirable, possible and urgently required'. WOW Festivals take place around the world.

  1. That's all from the WOWxBBC Festivalpublished at 20:16 BST 17 May 2020

    What a fun and thought-provoking weekend it has been.

    A big thank-you to all our speakers and performers - there are too many to name-check here but hopefully we have mentioned them all on this page over the past couple of days.

    You can catch up on any of the sessions that you've missed here.

    And don't forget: today has been the beginning of the conversation. You can keep talking about all the issues our panels have raised using #WOWxBBC.

    The WOWxBBC festival is now over, but you can catch up onlineImage source, WOWxBBC
    Image caption,

    The WOWxBBC festival is now over, but you can catch up online.

  2. Tech can be tryingpublished at 19:53 BST 17 May 2020

    Technology has allowed us to put this WOWxBBC Festival on remotely. Doesn't always work smoothly though... The brilliant Ebuni Ajiduah - who gave a hair masterclass yesterday - made us chuckle on Instagram talking about finishing off her session.

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  3. Starting now: Yoga Wind-downpublished at 19:39 BST 17 May 2020

    Over to Sanchia Legister to bring the festival to a close

    Sanchia Legister is a runner, yoga teacher, energy giver, public speaker and space holder. Known for her popular underground Yogahood & Gyal Flex classes, she brings her signature afro, big smile and good vibes to the mat in the hope of bringing yoga to the people and opening up the wellness scene.

    Sanchia Legister is here to help you unwindImage source, WOW
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    Sanchia Legister is here to help you unwind

  4. Why not finish the evening with some yoga?published at 19:34 BST 17 May 2020

    Our final session will begin very shortly after the Quiz finishes - grab a mat!

    Join us for our final event of the evening, as Sanchia Legister helps us wind down with one last yoga class.

    The lesson will be suitable for everyone, including beginners, so you have no excuse not to join in. Clear a space in the living room, pull up your favourite chilled playlist and get ready to relax...

    Yoga Wind-down, Sunday 17th May, 7.30pmImage source, WOW / BBC
    Image caption,

    Finish the festival with some yoga.

  5. Maggie's Demonstrationspublished at 19:17 BST 17 May 2020

    We're loving Maggie's lockdown demonstrations. Don't forget to take proper precautions if you try to emulate her at home!

  6. Dancing with your heroespublished at 19:06 BST 17 May 2020

    More evidence of the influence that the Clangers have on Maggie Aderin-Pocock!

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  7. "You're a black dyslexic kid from a broken home in London. How come you're so interested in space?"published at 19:05 BST 17 May 2020

    If you want to know more about Maggie's inspirations, check out this video from the Royal Society.

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  8. Maggie's quiz questionspublished at 19:04 BST 17 May 2020

    We're learning lots about our speakers in tonight's quiz.

    Quote Message

    The Clangers was a bit like like a gateway drug. I started watching the Clangers then went on to Star Trek. All this enthused me with the idea of getting out into space.

    Maggie Aderin-Pocock

  9. Are you enjoying the quiz at home?published at 18:55 BST 17 May 2020

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  10. Our quiz is under waypublished at 18:46 BST 17 May 2020

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  11. Meet your quiz-mistressespublished at 18:13 BST 17 May 2020

    The Great Big Wow Quiz, Sunday 17th May, 6.15pm

    Sandi is joined by:

    Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE is a space scientist, author and BAFTA-nominated broadcaster, whose passion is presenting science to general audiences. She is the founder and managing director of Science Innovation Ltd, a company set up to change the demographics of scientists and scientific knowledge around the world. This is achieved by focusing on increased diversity in terms of gender, neurodiversity and ethnic balance. In 2019 Maggie won Vodafone's Woman of the Year Innovation Award, she co-presents 'Sky at Night' the longest-running science series in the world and sits on the advisory committee for the Young Audience Content Fund at the BFI and the STFC Council. Maggie studied at Imperial College, where she obtained her degree in Physics and her PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Since then she has spent much of her career making novel, bespoke instrumentation ranging from handheld land mine detectors to an optical subsystem for the James Webb Space Telescope.Liz Carr is a wheelchair using actor, activist and comedian probably best known for playing forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery for 8 years in the BBC drama Silent Witness. She’s turned her hand to stand-up comedy, burlesque and criptease not to mention writing and performing in shows including ‘Assisted Suicide - The Musical’, described as “a TED talk with show tunes”. Before lockdown, Liz filmed her first Hollywood blockbuster, “Infinite”, now due for release in 2021. Her episode of Who Do You Think You Are? will be out later this year as will a monologue as part of a BBC series of pieces by Disabled actors. Liz and her wife, Jo Church, are currently in lockdown and making a weekly ’celebratory’ film for social media where amongst other silliness they ask a Dolly Parton plate on their wall, ‘What Would Dolly Do?’ Jude Kelly is back to help kick off the proceedings ...

    Sandi Toksvig, Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Lizz Carr
    Image caption,

    Sandi Toksvig, Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Lizz Carr

  12. Coming up next: The Great Big Wow Quizpublished at 18:00 BST 17 May 2020

    Questions start at 6.15pm

    Sandi Toksvig is back, and this time she's joined by two fellow question mistresses to bring you the WOWiest quiz on the internet. We present:

    Maggie Aderin-Pocock's “Putting the Fem into STEM” Science Quiz

    Liz Carr's Trivial Her-suit (Not a quiz about hairy women) and, last but not least,

    Sandi's Great Big Lady-Lockdown History Quiz.

    Get the gang together, pens and paper at the ready! No googling please!

    The Great Big Wow Quiz, Sunday 17th May, 6.15pmImage source, WOW / BBC
    Image caption,

    The Great Big Wow Quiz, Sunday 17th May, 6.15pm

  13. People have been commenting on Baroness Helena Kennedy's videopublished at 17:51 BST 17 May 2020

    You can re-watch the WOW Big ideas discussion by clicking on the link at the top of the page - and we are archiving this weekend's session here:

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  14. "...that which fuses ancient African imagery and mythologies, and fuses it with something otherworldy and futuristic"published at 17:47 BST 17 May 2020

    Hear more from Emma Dabiri

    Here's the documentary which Sandi mentioned:

    Emma explores some of the many incarnations of Afrofuturism in art and music, in her critically acclaimed Radio 4 documentary.

    Media caption,

    Emma Dabiri explores some of the many incarnations of Afrofuturism in art and music.

  15. The world needs more storiespublished at 17:43 BST 17 May 2020

    Quote Message

    Write down your great aunt's stories. Zoom them to someone.

    Sandi Toksvig

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  16. Two more great women from historypublished at 17:39 BST 17 May 2020

    Quote Message

    The resourcefulness of women under fire. There's going to still be soup.

    Sandi Toksvig on World War One nurses Mairi Chisholm and Elsie Knocker

  17. Overheard on socialpublished at 17:33 BST 17 May 2020

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  18. Maxine the playwrightpublished at 17:31 BST 17 May 2020

    Here is some more information about the two plays that Maxine has written:

    The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca, external, about a woman who fought for fishermen's rights, was performed as part of Hull City of Culture.

    Maxine has also written about Beryl Burton, one of Britain's greatest cyclists. Her work will help ensure these incredible women are not forgotten.

    Maxine Peake celebrates unsung sporting hero Beryl Burton
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    Maxine Peake celebrates unsung sporting hero Beryl Burton

  19. More appreciation for Sandipublished at 17:26 BST 17 May 2020

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  20. On recognitionpublished at 17:17 BST 17 May 2020

    Quote Message

    Of the 275,000 medals given to people who served in the Crimean War, not one was for a nurse

    Sandi Toksvig on Florence Nightingale's legacy