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THE BEAUTY BEHIND THE VEIL, THE BEAUTY BENEATH THE SNOW
27 – 28 May 2008
What is the prevailing image of women in Sweden and the Arab countries in our days?
Welcome to experience testimonies from women from both the Arab countries and Sweden;
Because beauty, art and culture know no boundaries at all.
We must dare to see, we must dare to speak
Introduction "What we require is not a formal return to tradition and religion, but a rereading, a reinterpretation, of our history that can illuminate the present and pave the way to a better future. For example, if we delve more deeply into ancient Egyptian and African civilisations we will discover the humanistic elements that were prevalent in many areas of life. Women enjoyed a high status and rights, which they later lost when class patriarchal society became the prevalent social system”.
… ”quote by Dr. Nawal Al Saadawi, well known feminist psychiatrist and author from Egypt
Life in the Middle East or in Europe is shaped in many different ways.
However, historical events, politics and the media have all contributed to the emergence of stereotypic definitions about “East” and “West” which are often used in a negative way.
“Beauty behind the Veil, Beauty under the Snow” is an event arranged by the
Skarabé group that focus on woman's creativity.
The image of women in both the Arab countries and Sweden is one of the
main themes of this forum.
The participating women come from several countries in the Middle East, Northern Africa
and Sweden and are active in a wide scope of professional activities : from movie-directing, art and business management to feminist movements, literature studies and poetry.
Our goal is to show how beauty, or rather the positive within us all, whether it is about
attitudes towards life or about creativity, is what makes the similarities between us far greater
than the differences. Because Beauty goes beyond boundaries,
beyond notions like “East” and “West”.
Skarabé will arrange the forum the 27th and the 28th of May 2008 on the Victoria Theatre /
Viktoriateatern. The forum will consist of lectures, movie screenings, exhibitions,
dancing and music. The attendants are welcome to discuss questions related to women’s situation in the Arab and Swedish societies and other cultural subjects from their own unique perspective. However, the event will not only focus on discussion but also on coming to conclusions that can be used to establish new ways to work against cultural prejudices in the future.
The lectures under the conference will inspire both the participants and the audience to
not only to think but also to take an active step towards new and exciting projects in the future. |