Weekend of Wellbeing

Free events open to all
Health and wellbeing
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    15 February – Devonport Lecture Theatre, Portland Square Building University of Plymouth / 16 February – online via Zoom

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Global Plymouth is delighted to present the Weekend of Wellbeing (WOW2025), featuring collaborations between seven countries (at least!) on the weekend of 15–16 February.
The events on Saturday will all be in person at the University while the entire programme for Sunday will be online.
WOW2025 has been organised by Global Plymouth in collaboration with:
• alumni of the NSBM Green University, Sri Lanka
• Binghampton University, State University of New York, USA
• Colours for Scholars of the University of Plymouth, UK
• GSY of University of Pecs, Hungary
• Ketewa Centre for Behaviour Change, India
• Sisterhood of Health, UK
• University of Lahore, Pakistan
• University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
WOW2025 has been organised specifically to consolidate the strength of our local community through global partnership. All events are free and everyone is welcome.
Email poorna.gunasekera@plymouth.ac.uk for further information.
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Saturday 15 February – in-person events | venue: Devonport Lecture Theatre, Portland Square Building

Yoga (13:30–17:20)

WOW2025 starts off with an afternoon of enlightenment led by a visiting team of experts from the award-winning GSY (Goodbye Stress with Yoga) initative. Based at the acclaimed University of Pecs, Hungary, with origins to 1367, GSY will join us to celebrate the 5,000-year tradition of yoga with a very contemporary twist!
The visiting delegation, led by Dr Shalini Chauhan, accompanied by Ann Mary Babu and Sachal Sadiq Najaf will guide us through basic stretching, team-building dance therapy. Asana (posture) practice, and breathing and meditation practice. We'll also have the unique experience of a virtual introduction to laughter yoga by Dr Nidhi Jaswal, the founder of Ketawa – Centre for Behaviour and Change.
While a classical dance performance will highlight the wonder of human art, our brains will be stimulated by a presentation on current research exploring the impact of meditation led by GSY protocol on emotional regulation and academic performance among medical students.
There will be plenty of time for discussions and reflection, as we seek to banish the February blues with collective hope.
If you're attending, please bring along a yoga mat (or more, if you have some to spare) but don't worry if you don't have one as mats will be supplied.

Register attendance on the Global Plymouth website

SWATchat8 – Ethics of Community Empowerment (18:00–20:30)

Community empowerment is meant to uplift local groups and individuals by creating a sense of shared ownership of their collective futures. If is meant to be a celebration of those who matter the most to the communal wellbeing; a powerful generator of local talent and resources to tackle local issues.
Yet community empowerment must often rely on sources out with local communities due to the limitation of resources. Could that ever work… or more importantly… how could it be made to work?
SWATchat8 explores that question in detail by creating a forum for open, engaging dialogue.
In keeping with the usual format, the keynote will be delivered by a celebrated expert, one who has authored a seminal piece of work on the Ethics of Sustainable Development, no less. The keynote will be followed by three expert panellists, who have each contributed to community empowerment in very diverse fields. Then, after a short break for refreshments, we shall all reconvene for the audience to discuss the issue, through open, insightful dialogue driven by the principle that every opinion matters and that it is acceptable to agree to disagree, in the pursuit of lasting communal peace and harmony.
Please join us to experience this truly unifying phenomenon of SWATchats, where the acronym SWAT stands for 'So What About This', first hand. Hear from our neighbours who care and add your own voice to the discussion. We so need to hear from you.

Register attendance on the Global Plymouth website

Sunday 16 February – online events via Zoom

Launch of Phase II of the International Journal Writing Group (11:15–12:20)

There has been a surge in reports of the breakdown of the trust between those perceived to be 'experts' and those often labelled as the 'general (lay) community', especially as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This gulf, which can have a disastrous impact on the whole of humankind, is being further widened by the very recent efforts of 'powerful forces' who are hellbent on dismantling the pillars of contemporary human civilisation such as the celebration of equity, diversity and inclusion.
It is vital we start to communicate with one another, meaningfully, as equal partners, to prevent our social fabric being torn apart altogether.
The International Journal Writing Group was established to do just that! It is dedicated to creating pools of expert local authors, from diverse backgrounds, who will explore local manifestations by comparing them with like-minded communities in the global arena.
They will uphold the founding principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are to 1) leave no one behind, and 2) reach the furthest behind first.
Global Plymouth is privileged to host a global virtual workshop marking the international launch of phase two of the International Journal Writing Group, which follows the hugely successful pilot phase that tested the concept.
The workshop will take us through a step-by-step explanation of how to:
• identify local issues of importance
• form global writing groups focused on that every area of local importance
• methodically explore the issue with a focus on the two founding principles of the SDGs
• identify the most appropriate journals to publish the findings
• write up papers that meet the guidelines of the identified journals.
What is more, we'll provide easy to use tools that will help identify quality peer-reviewed journals where publication is free through open access agreements and a framework that guides every step of the process.
Join us by becoming a member of the Global Plymouth Meetup Group, or email ijwg@plymouth.ac.uk stating your interest so we can share the Zoom link for the workshop with you.
We'll be forming international writing groups at the event. Please use this opportunity to become an expert published author and highlight issues of local importance on the global stage!

Yoga (13:30–17:20)

Our final event will feature a series of inspirational stories from activists from four continents who have overcome significant barriers in their quest for mutual empowerment, the type of self-improvement driven by working together with like-minded people.
We shall follow those stories with a delightful collection of yoga techniques including laughter yoga, basic stretching, and breathing and meditation sessions where all can take part from the safety of your own home.
A Zoom link will be shared following registration.

Register attendance on the Global Plymouth website

Global Plymouth Meetup Group

Global Plymouth Meetup Group was formed by a group of University of Plymouth students and staff, many of international origin, in October 2021. The organisation is dedicated to forming sustainable social bonds between the residents of Plymouth and surrounding areas and our own students and staff, with the twin aims of reducing social isolation and proactively battling hate crime. The group has nearly 1,700 members, many of whom are University staff and students. The group has held over 200 events which have helped unify our community into a welcoming, caring family.

Event photography and video

Please be aware that some of the University of Plymouth's public events (both online and offline) may be attended by University staff, photographers and videographers, for capturing content to be used in University online and offline marketing and promotional materials, for example webpages, brochures or leaflets. If you, or a member of your group, do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please let a member of staff know.