women
when we talk about strength, we often mean it in narrow, masculine terms, defined by brute force, endurance, or winning. Rarely is it framed through the lens of emotional resilience, collective care, or the kind of consistency women exhibit every single day. Still rarer are spaces where women are encouraged to own their strength, to speak of it, to feel it in their bodies, and to build it as a community.
That was the radical premise behind ‘StrongHer,’ an active symposium hosted in Karachi recently by the Goethe-Institut Pakistan, in collaboration with MatrixFit Pakistan. The event gathered a wide spectrum of women, from students and working professionals to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and caregivers, under one roof for a few hours of honest conversation, movement, and connection.
MatrixFit Pakistan, which partnered for the event, is no stranger to redefining fitness. Since its founding in 2015, the centre has built its reputation as the country’s leading functional training facility, pushing not just for physical results but for a broader cultural shift around wellness. Its methodology focuses on making fitness inclusive, empowering, and sustainable, values that were reflected in every moment.
Meanwhile, the Goethe-Institut Pakistan, part of the global German cultural network, used this event to deepen its commitment to inclusive, intercultural dialogue. While known primarily for its language courses, educational outreach, and art programming, the institute has increasingly explored themes like wellness, identity, and community through its cultural work. ‘StrongHer’ represented an expansion of that mission, using fitness as a way to start new conversations about empowerment.
Held at a local hotel, the evening was designed not as a typical seminar but as a living, breathing experience: three keynote speeches, a panel discussion, and a community workout session. And at every step, the unspoken message was this: strength is not one-size-fits-all. It is physical, yes, but also emotional, relational, and deeply personal.
The keynote speeches opened the evening with powerful insights from women who had walked very different paths but all arrived at the same belief: that strength must be reclaimed, not granted.
Christina Hering, a two-time Olympian and 15-time German athletics champion, spoke about discipline, performance, and the evolving nature of identity in elite sports. “Dream big, and work hard,” she urged the audience, predominantly made up of women. Her message wasn’t about medals or milestones but about believing in your own capacity, something many women are taught not to question from a young age.
Yasmin Hyder, CEO of New World Concepts and a recognised name in women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan, reflected on her own journey from sports to the corporate sector. “Leadership,” she said, “must be inclusive, and women have always had to carve out their own space for it.” Her presence reminded the room that strength also lives in boardrooms, at the negotiation table, and in the daily decisions women make to lead their lives on their own terms.
Mintra Tilly, Director of Sport at HYROX, an international fitness race that blends endurance and strength challenges, brought in a global perspective. “Respect is not given but negotiated,” she said, addressing the reality of working in a male-dominated industry. “Sport allows women to reclaim autonomy over their bodies,” she added , a particularly resonant point in a world where women are often told what their bodies should look like, how they should behave, and who they should serve.
The panel discussion that followed, moderated by journalist and entrepreneur Sarah Munir, went beyond the physical to explore the more layered terrain of self-worth, healing, and resilience. Munir, herself known for occupying multiple spaces, media, business, advocacy, opened the conversation with a reminder that women’s relationships with their bodies and health are often shaped by cultural expectations and personal histories.
The panellists, included mountaineer Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest; trauma-informed life coach Saman Ghani Khan; human resource and mentoring expert Beenish Kajani; yoga instructor and wellness advocate Amafah Mubashir; and fashion entrepreneur Parishae Adnan.
Together, they navigated difficult but familiar questions: What does strength mean when you’re healing from trauma? How do we unlearn the shame tied to our bodies? Why is community so central to wellness? From childhood insecurities to professional struggles, the conversation was raw and reflective, a reminder that true empowerment often begins with vulnerability.
In the final segment of the evening, speakers and guests alike took part in a community workout session led by MatrixFit. Teams of four took laps around the room, followed by circuit-based strength exercises. Some participants gave it their all, others paced themselves, but the energy was infectious. Laughter, cheers, and applause echoed through the space, as non-participating audience members cheered from the side-lines, turning the entire room into a support system.
Also in attendance were Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr Rüdiger Lotz, Director of Goethe-Institut Pakistan Mr Andreas Schiekofer, and MatrixFit founder Bilal Tariq , the first Pakistani man to have competed in the CrossFit Games , all of whom stood as allies.
By the end of the evening, the word ‘strength’ no longer sat in just the biceps or back squats. It lived in the open-hearted discussions, the shared applause, and the comfort of knowing you weren’t alone in your journey. Because ‘StrongHer’ goes beyond fitness, it was about redefining what strength looks like, and more importantly, who gets to own it.
- You! desk