A Wholesome Morning as a Speaker at Manchester International Festival

Written By Dr Ria Meera Munshi

17 February 2025

Monday 17th February 2025: 3.00pm

This morning, I had the pleasure of heading to the Manchester International Festival at Aviva Studios in Manchester City Centre. It was a beautiful day to share my journey so far, including my Honorary Doctor of Arts and the accolade that could make me the youngest Indian Manchester-born multi-faceted artist and culture entrepreneur. I also talked about my future plans and aspirations within the theatrical space and my other roles within the industry.

One of the highlights was reconnecting with old friends such as John McGrath, the fantastic artistic director of Manchester International Festival. It was also delightful to meet new friends and connections within the industry.

As always, my talk was super interactive, with a lively Q&A session. And, of course, there was a beautiful element of Indian dance integrated into the presentation.

I’m especially happy to share that, for once, I got a picture with my business manager, financial director, and producer of Ri Ri’s Dance Academy – also known as my Dad, Mr Rushi Munshi!

After the presentation, we enjoyed a lovely lunch at Aviva Studios. I had a healthy tomato soup with sourdough bread. (Sourdough is a new addition to my life. I only tried it in Portugal last December, and I love it!) My dad had a yummy chip butty (minus the vinegar which is another favourite of mine!)