“No spring without Arab Women”

The Fifth New Arab Women Forum (NAWF), organized by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group and Al Hasnaa Magazine in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the French Institute in Lebanon and MBC group, was resumed this morning at Four Seasons Hotel – Beirut. At the outset, the Woman Of the Week award (WOW) was granted in the presence of His Excellency, Mr. Wael Abou Faour, Minister of Social Affairs in Lebanon, and the Lebanese Member of Parliament H.E. Mrs. Bahia Hariri.

The Director General of the Institut du Monde Arabe – Paris, Ms. Mona Khazindar, ranked first, followed, in the second position, by the head of MIT Entreprise Forum of the Pan-Arab Region in Lebanon, Ms. Hala Fadel, and by Ms. Octavia Nasr in the third position. The three ladies won following a voting process that began last September and involved 15 women from various Arab countries in appreciation to their efforts and leading roles in investment, cinema production, journalism, litterature and politics.

The first panel of the second day was held under the title “the Arab Spring and the Cultural Flourish”. The moderator was Mr. Yehia Jaber, poet, theater actor, journalist, founder and owner of “Why Production” company in Lebanon, and panelists were: Mrs. Joumana Haddad, writer and head of the cultural page in An-Nahar newspaper in Lebanon; Mrs. Badriah Al Becher, writer and journalist in UAE; and Ms. Mariam Ali, performer, music composer and founder of “ Abou Mariam” band.

Mrs. Haddad stated that cultural, artistic and other forms of change cannot take place without the presence and cooperation of both male and female partners. She hoped that men will have a wider scope of participation in the next forum, as no real debate about women can be conducted without the presence of men as partners. She wondered “when will we talk about the spring of Arab women, as this is what we really deserve and need?”. Mrs. Haddad stressed that “real change comes first from women and not through claiming rights and change from others (men)”.

Mrs. Badriah Al Becher talked about censorship in the Arab world. She declared that it is increasing and reaching “red” lines in some parts of the Arab region, but declining in such other countries as Saudi Arabia. According to a study conducted by Mrs. Al Becher in 2005, globalization tools, such as “satellites, mobile phone cameras, and the Internet” penetrated the Saudi black market and obliged society to use them under strict scrutiny. Today knowledge is available to all and cannot be restricted.

Mrs. Al Becher focused on publishing which she considered as “the only path to understand the equations of self censorship and reality censorship”.

Ms. Mariam Ali discussed her experience in Tahrir square in Egypt, and considered that liberation changed the lives of many and changed her responsibilities as an artist in terms of her intellectual and music contributions.

Ms. Ali said that woman is “part of authoritarian and patriarchal society; as a woman I cannot perceive myself through the lens of the other (man) otherwise I would be that other”. She focused on the role of the Egyptian woman in the revolution, notably in Tahrir square where she stood side by side with men in the frontlines of demonstrations, as human shields against the army.

In the margin of NAWF, books and poetry collections were signed by their authors namely: Jahida Wehbi, Iman Homaidan, Joumana Haddad, Ranya Salwan, Badriah El Bishr, Mona Merhi, Mona Tayyem, Nadine Al Assaad, Silia Hamadeh.

A panel was held about cinema, woman and the revolution by the journalist and cinema critic at Assafir newspaper Nadim Jarjoura, and the director and play writer in Egypt, Mr. Daoud Abed Assayed. The panel was moderated by the founder and director of Sahbeh readership program, Lebanese writer, producer and director Mona Merhi.

Mr. Abed Assayed considered that the unfolding revolution in the Arab countries, notably in Egypt, are “huge historic interactions, and I would like to take part in them at least emotionally”. He said that he participated in the revolution as a citizen and not as a moviemaker who is seeking a new idea for a new movie.

Mr. Jarjoura believed that “the moviemaker is a citizen first and foremost, closely linked to his environment. Movies made about revolution document this historic period of forgery or change”. He considered that movies will play a role at a later stage not during revolutions.

The second panel was moderated by the Lebanese TV presenter Nishan Derharoutounian and the panelists were: the Syrian actor and director Mr. Doreid Laham and the Egyptian director and movie writer Mr. Khaled Youssef.

Mr. Khaled Youssef talked about the role of woman in revolution, “without whom the revolution wouldn’t have succeeded in Egypt”. He said that the Muslim Brothers won in Egypt as a result of the revolutions. In order to be democratic we should allow this group to express her goals and future plans for Egypt, although I firmly believe that they do not have anything to say and any future plans”.

Regarding the revolution in Syria, Mr. Doreid Laham said “let the Syrians decide whether they have a revolution or not in their country”. Regarding women rights, he noted that “the so-called women do not exist, but rather human rights in general. As women exposed to violence, so are men”. He added that Iraqis in Guantanamo prisons are tortured by women.

“Sawa Sawa” march

NAWF was crowned with a march organized under the slogan “Sawa Sawa” with the participation of representatives from Lebanon, Egypt, UAE, KSA, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya notably activists from women rights organizations. The march parted from Four Seasons Hotel to the Grand Serail where they presented a list of requests. Mariam Ali performed songs inspired her experience in Tahrir square. As well as Fatima Mourtada presented a live performance about “Sawa, Sawa” theme. In parallel with “Sawa Sawa”, a gathering was held at the same in front of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.

Through this march organizers and participating women organizations wanted to confirm that there is no spring without women, and declared that this is only the first step of long road towards realizing the long- standing and new claims of Arab Women. They called decision makers and stakeholders to listen to the voice of women and respond to their call.