There will be many legacy projects arising from the Decade of Centenaries Programme and I want one of these legacies to be a greater understanding of and appreciation for the role that women played in shaping the narrative of this revolutionary period – women were not just background figures supporting some of the more well-known people of this time, but influenced events in their own right as revolutionaries, politicians, thinkers, humanitarians, law-makers, campaigners, strategists, soldiers, administrators and disruptors. We have a wonderful opportunity to write these women back into our history and I am delighted that my Department will be launching, in the next couple of weeks, a new women’s strand for the final phase of the Decade of Centenaries, working collaboratively with a range of partners. Together, we will curate and develop new online content to highlight women’s involvement in all aspects of this pivotal part in our nation’s history and make sure their stories are told in a sensitive and impartial manner.