October 11 marks the International Day of the Girl, a United Nations-designated celebration intended to raise awareness of issues facing girls around the world, with Bermuda to take part with an event from 2.00pm through 5.00pm at the National Sports Centre.

The free event will feature a number of activities for the island’s girls, including football, cricket, golf, coding, and rugby, along with a Bubbles and Builders area for younger girls, intended to encourage building and engineering with toys.

The event’s Facebook page says, “There are two goals for the day: to raise awareness of issues facing girls internationally and locally, and to inspire girls to make a difference; and to expose girls to activities that they may not have much exposure to already. Cricket, golf, football, rugby, archery, coding, Bubbles and Builders for toddlers, overall fitness, and robotics.”

Event organizer Carolyn Thomas Ray told Bernews, “The Bermuda Cricket Board and Brazilian Football School are both helping us with the cost of hiring the football field at National Sport Centre, and many others are donating their time and effort to run activities or to volunteer.

“All girls are welcome, from toddler to 17-years-old. The event is free and for girls only. Parents are encouraged to find childcare for their sons, as boys will not be permitted to participate in the activities.

“The idea is for girls to try the activities by dropping in and out of them once they arrive. Parents might bring them for 15 minutes or the whole time, so we want to be as flexible as possible. ‎Parents and girls are encouraged to chat to volunteers about challenges facing girls, around the world and in Bermuda.

“The Women’s Resource Centre will be there to discuss local issues facing girls, such as bullying, being safe online, and the early sexualisation of girls through pop culture. SCARS will also be there to give more information about their training programme for parents.”

“In addition to football and cricket, we will have rugby, golf, ‎robotics, archery, an obstacle course, and an area for preschool girls to build and create. The Women’s Resource Centre and SCARS will be available to chat to parents, and girls too in the case of the WRC, about issues facing girls in Bermuda today.

“We have garnered much support by friends sharing the Facbook event page, and the schools, both public and private, have also been very supportive.

“Overall, really positive feedback and people think an event like this is long overdue. Sixty people have said they are coming, so we expect at least 60 to 80 and hope for more.

“The football, rugby and cricket activities will include some girls who already play in order to show and encourage other girls to try.”

When asked about the personal motivation behind organising this event, Ms. Thomas Ray said, “I read an article in August about how every October 11th has been designated by the U.N. as the International Day of the Girl. The reason is because girls comprise the largest demographic subject to poverty globally.

“Around the world, girls are excluded from education, forced into childhood marriages, or earmarked for lesser paid careers simply because they are girls.

“I wanted to raise awareness here in Bermuda of challenges that girls face around the world, and to expose girls here to traditionally male sports, STEM activities and a comfortable and non-judgmental environment to try them out. We hope it to be an annual event.”

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