The first WOW Colombo took place at the National Film Corporation from 2-3 December 2017.

WOW Colombo featured an impressive lineup of panellists and speakers, including Chandani Seneviratne, Nidhi Goyal, and Dr. Farzana Haniffa and included talks, panel discussions, workshops and mentoring sessions that covered themes such as Women at Work, Right to Reflect, and No More Taboo.

Workshops addressed topics including cyber-exploitation, self-kindness, and gender stereotyping. WOW Colombo also showcased short films, international films, and performances by artists like Eva Priyanka Wegener and Thuya Maruppom. The Festival included short talks and stories as part of WOW Bites, and opportunities for audiences to take part in WOW Speed mentoring.

WOW Colombo was produced by British Council, the UK’s cultural relations organisation, alongside a local production team. The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.