Discover inspiring storytellers who will captivate you with their powerful narratives, sharing unique experiences and insights that spark imagination and ignite change
At FOW 2026, the Storytelling Session will serve as a powerful platform to spotlight diverse voices and lived experiences that shape feminist movements, community resilience, and inclusive futures. Aligned with the theme of the conference, this session will bring together authors, poets, activists, indigenous knowledge holders, and creative practitioners to share stories of empowerment, resistance, identity, and transformation
Join us at FOW 2026 for a moving and transformative storytelling experience, where global voices come together to inspire feminist solidarity, amplify unheard stories, and build inclusive, empowered futures.
Seroshi brings over 19 years of Marketing and Management experience, spanning both corporate and development landscapes. She has held leadership roles at CA Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Colombo School of Business and Management, MAS Intimates, and Hayleys. Her consultancy portfolio includes strategic engagements with renowned institutions such as Deloitte, Palladium, and UNDP, among others. Seroshi is widely recognized as a trusted global and national voice in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Strategy and Leadership, SME development, and Strategic Marketing.
Seroshi is also the Founder and Chair of the Women’s International Foundation (WIF)—a national platform that empowers women entrepreneurs through strategic business support, capacity building, and advocacy.
An award-winning academic, Seroshi holds a First-Class Honours degree in Marketing Management from the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, a Distinction-awarded MSc in Marketing from the University of Hertfordshire (UK), and executive education credentials from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her academic grounding has not only shaped her own career but has empowered thousands through teaching, consulting, and mentoring.
Beyond her organizational impact, Seroshi serves on the Executive Committee of the Asia Small Business Federation – Sri Lanka Chapter, an active Rotarian at the Rotary Club of Colombo Uptown, and an Eisenhower Fellow being selected as one of only 22 women, globally selected for Women’s Leadership in 2024. She is also a Fellow of the Salzburg Global being part of an esteemed global network of leaders driving innovation and change.
Today, she stands as a beacon for strategic thinking in leadership—inspiring executives, entrepreneurs, and change-makers alike to think beyond the conventional and lead with vision, clarity, and impact.
Please join us in welcoming Seroshi Nandasiri, a catalyst for transformation through education, strategy, and leadership.
Title: Women Love to Tell Stories, but Their Lives still Suffer: News from Tiktok in Indonesia
Kalis Mardiasih is a prominent Muslim writer and youth activist from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, known for her advocacy on diversity, gender equality, and progressive Islamic discourse. She is a regular opinion columnist for several leading digital media platforms, including detik.com, Indonesia’s largest online news outlet.
Kalis is a member of the Gusdurian National Network, a civil society movement inspired by the values and legacy of former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, promoting pluralism, democracy, and social justice. She has also been active in various student and civil society organizations, including the Islamic Students Association in Surakarta, and is affiliated with Pengurus Besar Nahdlatul Ulama, one of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations.
Her work focuses on gender justice, religious tolerance, and youth empowerment. She writes extensively on women’s rights and religious perspectives in local newspapers and national online platforms and contributes to initiatives that advocate for the rights and welfare of women and children.
Kalis earned her degree from Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta and is the author of three widely-read books: Muslimah yang Diperdebatkan (2019), Hijrah Jangan Jauh-Jauh, Nanti Nyasar! (2019), and Sister Fillah, You’ll Never Be Alone (2020). Her writings, which blend Islamic thought with feminist perspectives, have resonated strongly with young Muslim audiences across Indonesia.
Title: Deserting patriarchy: women and men for a new freedom
Monica Lanfranco is an Italian journalist, blogger, trainer and founder of the feminist quarterly “Marea” in 1994. She is the creator of the Radio Delle Donne podcast channel, has taught new media theory and technique at the University of Parma, and has been running the feminist training and seminar center, Altradimora, since 2008. Monica is also a book author, and her latest book, “Crescere uomini-le parole dei ragazzi su sessualità, pornografia, sessismo” (Growing up as a man: Teenagers’ words about sexuality, pornography and sexism), was published by Erickson in 2019.
Title: Women’s Movement Activists Against Violence: Stories of Resistance, Resilience and Survival
Dr. Kalyani Menon-Sen is a feminist researcher and activist whose has been working for over twenty¬-five years on issues of women’s rights, particularly the impacts of neoliberal economic policies on women. She has contributed to critiques of economic policies and policy-making processes, and has been active in initiatives to build economic literacy for women workers and women farmers. She has written and campaigned on issues of violence against women, particularly state violence and its linkage with economic policies. She has researched and written on issues of safety, dignity and rights of women in the workplace and has supported a range of organisations in setting up systems for prevention and action on sexual harassment. Kalyani has a long association with UNDP and its gender mainstreaming journey. As a Gender At Work Associate, she has worked with UN agencies, think-tanks and research groups, development agencies, community groups and women’s movement organisations to design and facilitate action-learning initiatives and systems change processes.
Anne Pakoa is a prominent human rights advocate and development leader from Vanuatu, with over 22 years of experience in NGO management, research, advocacy, and policy development. She is the Founder and CEO of the Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, as well as the Founder and Technical Advisor of Vanuatu Young Women for Change and Anne’s Community Health Services. Additionally, she serves as Co-Founder and Technical Advisor at the Vatu Mauri Consortium (VMC).
In her current role as Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at VMC, Ms. Pakoa contributes to strengthening organizational accountability and impact measurement. Throughout her career, she has served as an individual consultant and led numerous initiatives focused on gender equality, youth empowerment, and community health. Her leadership and tireless dedication have positioned her as a key figure in Vanuatu’s civil society and human rights landscape.
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