The exhibition: The Z Factor
Date: 23 May 2012
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: The Women’s Library, London Metropolitan University, Old Castle St, London E1

Thirty years ago,  Zerbanoo Gifford became the first Asian woman to be an elected representative in the UK. Staving off racist threats from the BNP, she took a safe Conservative seat on the Harrow Council for the Liberal Party in 1982.

Over the next few years, the Indian-born Zerbanoo opened parliamentary politics for Asian women, standing three times for Parliament, unfortunately unsuccessfully. She became the first non-white woman to be elected onto the governing body of any political party in Britain, chairing the Community Relations Panel and sitting on the Advisory Committee on Race Relations.

Zerbanoo is recognised as a pioneer for women in public life and is the recipient of many awards, including ‘International Woman of the Year 2006’ for her humanitarian work. She celebrated their achievements in her latest book, ‘Confessions to a Serial Womaniser: Secrets of the World’s Inspirational Women.’ The book was turned into a website and online mentoring scheme (www.ashacentre.org Inspirational Women).

Zerbanoo is now the director of the charity she founded to help young people, the ASHA Centre in Gloucestershire, which stages arts and environmental based leadership training courses for young people from all over the world, but especially from conflict zones.

The Z Factor exhibition at the Women’s Library will feature Zerbanoo’s life, butwill also look at many prominent members of her Zoroastrian community, who have helped to transform the modern world, including rock star Freddie Mercury, conductor Zubin Mehta, the industrialist Ratan Tata, Madame Bhikaiji Cama, who was an early  and very vocal agitator for Indian independence, and the ANC director and first woman speaker in the South African parliament Frene Ginwala.

The guest of honour will be Baroness Jan Royall, the former leader of the House of Lords.

For more information and interviews, contact Audrey Munro, audrey_munro@yahoo.co.uk (020-76039976)