11 November 2009

Northwest Equality & Diversity Conference 09

- 'Diversity is what we have in common' -

• Interactive conference to highlight equality challenges
• Celebr8  Festival of Diversity launched
• Twelve Community Cohesion grants
• Women & Work Taskforce launched

The second Northwest Equality & Diversity Conference takes place today (Wednesday 11th November) to raise awareness of equality & diversity challenges and opportunities in the Northwest.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Government Office North West (GONW), 4NW, NHS North West, and the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are joined by over 180 guests in the BT Convention Centre, Liverpool to raise awareness of the work being done in the region on equality and to launch Celebr8 - Festival of Diversity.

This second annual conference will combine presentations and interactive sessions to help find out more on the issues and work currently going on surrounding Equality and Diversity in the region. It will also mark the launch of the fourth regional Celebr8 Festival of Diversity.

The conference will; highlight the Equality and Diversity themes & priorities for the new Northwest Regional Strategy RS2010 and other future work and the challenges and opportunities for the region arising from the forthcoming Equality Act; and analyse and discuss feedback from last years conference.

The day-long conference, hosted by the BBC’s Ranvir Singh, is aimed at individuals making a difference on equality and diversity in the Northwest.

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA said: “England’s Northwest is a culturally diverse region and the NWDA is committed to enabling all the region’s people to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a good quality of life. This annual conference is growing in stature and the activity around equality and diversity in the Northwest is also developing and gaining momentum. By working in partnership we are helping to drive this important agenda which will help to grow the quality of life and economy of England’s Northwest.”

The conference offers delegates the opportunity to influence Equality and Diversity priorities for the Northwest’s new integrated regional strategy and question the various partners and agencies involved in the future direction of the equality and diversity agenda in the region. For the full Agenda, see Notes to Editors.

Liz Meek, Regional Director of Government Office for the North West, said:  “This year’s conference is a milestone. We now have work underway across organisations on issues of leadership and women at work - built on the successful launch of the BME Advisory Group earlier this year. Equality and diversity is part of the fabric of the region and should be part of the fabric of our daily working lives.”

The exciting Celebr8 - Festival of Diversity 2009 will be launched at the conference in Liverpool. Celebr8 is now a partnership between NWDA, Government Office North West (GONW) and the NW regional office of the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
 
Celebr8 aims to promote the message that diversity is an economic social and cultural asset to the region. This is the fourth year in which the festival has been held in the region and this year has three strands:
• Celebr8ing diversity through the Arts,
• Celebr8ing diversity in Business,
• Celebr8ing diversity through Community Cohesion.

Twelve Community Cohesion grants will be awarded today to partnerships of local authorities and community organisations across each of the Northwest’s sub regions who have demonstrated good practice in the area of community cohesion (see notes to editors for full list). The winning applicants, will receive a grant to help them host a cross range of activities to promote community cohesion across the region.

Ranvir Singh will also help launch a new £50,000 fund for the Celebr8 Arts strand, called ‘Woven Cultures’. This fund will support arts projects which really make people think about the equality challenges we still face and why diversity is important to the Northwest.

Successful projects will also link into the Cultural Olympiad, building towards the Olympic Games in London 2012, and be showcased on the big stage at the London 2012 Open Weekend next July.

The Northwest Equality & Diversity Conference will also welcome the launch of the Northwest Women & Work Taskforce.

The Task Force will have three primary aims - to investigate and develop women’s leadership in the region; investigate barriers to women’s participation in the Northwest economy; and to consider women’s potential for leadership in the region’s economy.

ENDS
Notes to editors:

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the competitiveness of its businesses, people and places. Utilising our technical expertise and strategic influence, we help the region’s 250,000+ businesses to develop and grow, as well as supporting international trade and encouraging inward investment.

For further information please contact Neil Roscoe, Senior Press Officer on 01925 400232 or mobile 07980 713282 or neil.roscoe@nwda.co.uk

For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925 400259.

Annual Northwest Equality Conference 2009
'Diversity is what we have in common'

Agenda
9:30am             Registration & coffee         
    
10:00am   Introduction & housekeeping - Ranvir Singh, BBC North West Tonight
    
 10.05am   A New Agenda For Equality - Alan Christie, Policy Director, Equality &
Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
    
10:25am   Interactive session one: what are the Challenges? - questions for the afternoon panel  - Followed by 2 Minutes Silence at 11am
    
11:02am   Break
    
11:30am   Launch of Women and Work Taskforce - Evelyn Asante-Mensah, Northwest Regional Development
Agency
    
11:40am   Regional Progress on Equalities since last year - Liz Meek, Regional Director, Government Office Northwest
    
12:00pm   Equality as a key theme in the new Regional Strategy RS2010 - Simon Nokes, Executive Director of Policy & Planning, Northwest Regional Development Agency
    
12:15pm    Lunch
 
1.15pm   
Performance Poet - Roger Cliffe-Thompson
1:25pm   Launch of Celebr8 - successful Celebr8 community fund applicants - Ranvir Singh
    
1:35pm   Interactive session two: the way forward - voting on some key propositions - what would you like
to see happen in the region (link into RS2010)
    
 2:10pm   Q&A: Responding to the Challenges
•  Christine Burns - Chair, NW Equality & Diversity Group
•  Shahnaz Ali - Associate Director Equality & Diversity, NHS NW 
•  Liz Meek - Regional Director, Government Office NW
•  Cllr Ian Marks - Vice-Chair, 4NW Regional Leaders Board
•  Vivienne Stone - Operations Manger (North), EHRC
•  Simon Nokes - Executive Director of Policy & Planning, Northwest Regional Development Agency
    
3:00pm   Close

Celebr8 first held in 2006, is now an annual event in the Northwest.  It was developed by the former Regional Assembly (NWRA), now 4NW Regional Leaders Board,  to follow up on commitments in the Regional Equality & Diversity strategy , but is now a partnership between NWDA, Government Office North West (GONW) and the NW regional office of the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) .
 
Each year so far has had a different emphasis but essentially has been a short festival of public relations and other events, organised to maximise media coverage for key equality and diversity messages.

Community Cohesion grant winners:
1. Better Together - Salford City Council and partners celebrating Chanukah
2. Cohesion Through Creativity - Daisy UK and partners creating activities and shared understanding between disabled and non disabled groups on Merseyside
3. Education on the Hoof - Cumbria County Council and partners raising awareness of Gypsy and Traveller culture in Cumbria based around Appleby Horse Fair
4. Legacy of Hope – the National Coalition Building Institute and Lancaster City Holocaust Memorial Day committee, celebrating Lancaster as a place of welcome
5. Mixing it up – Lesbian & Gay Foundation and partners celebrating diversity through a multi cultural open day and photographic exhibition for Greater Manchester
6. Older People in Warrington - Diverse but Equal - Warrington Borough Council and partners celebrating the diversity of older people through visits and exchanges
7. Pink Box - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual Youth North West working with local youth services to produce art highlighting relevant issues amongst young people across the region for LGBT History Month
8. Rap Against Racism - Tameside youth service and partners giving young people a voice and challenging discriminatory language in music
9. Shared Histories, Shared Futures - Trans Resource and Empowerment Centre and Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester promoting intergenerational dialogue
10. Travellers in Cheshire - Diverse but Equal - Home Space in Cheshire and partners arranging a Gypsy and Traveller event with display of travelling accommodation throughout the years plus traditional crafts and wares, advice and information
11. Values Statement in Sefton - Sefton Equalities Partnership and partners working with the Anthony Walker Foundation in schools to raise awareness of hate crime
12. Woolston Families Signing Choir - Intergenerational school choirs in Warrington encouraging participation of people with hearing impairments