Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on June 4, 2007 | No Comments »
The NWI/openDemocracy blog is a diary of the event written by four rapporteurs, NWI participants and openDemocracy’s program director Jane Gabriel. Our poDcast was directed by Siobhan O’Connell, openDemocracy’s podcast producer. If you wish to e-mail us about this blog, please see the contact page.
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on June 3, 2007 | 1 Comment »
openDemocracy published four articles as part of our NWI coverage. You can read them by following the links below.
The meaning of Peace in the 21st century, by Shirin Ebadi
Peacework: lessons we have failed to learn, by Isabel Hilton
Nothing is impossible, the difficult takes longer, by Nadwa Sarandah
A Nothern Ireland lesson, by Anne Carr
You can [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on June 1, 2007 | No Comments »
Closing statement to participants at the first international conference of the Nobel Women’s Initiative: Women redefining peace in the Middle East and Beyond
We would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to come to Galway to participate in our first international conference. We have come together here out of [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, poDcast on June 1, 2007 | No Comments »
How can peace be built? openDemocracy.net was at the conference trying to find clues from the Nobel Laureates and the NWI participants. We now present three poDcasts from the Nobel Women’s Initiative in Galway. Listen now.
Part One: Women and conflict in the middle east
Part Two: Redefining [...]
Posted in Maggie Baxter, Nobel Women's Initiative on June 1, 2007 | No Comments »
by Maggie Baxter, Green Belt Movement International
I came to the conference as a trustee of Green Belt Movement International whose founding director received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 – Wangari Maathai. Having been the Executive Director of WOMANKIND Worldwide, a UK international women’s rights and development agency, and now working on stopping the [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Roja Bandari on June 1, 2007 | No Comments »
by Roja Bandari, NWI rapporteur and PhD student in electrical engineering
I have had a chance to watch a movie with Shirin Ebadi, have dinner at the same table with Miread Corrigan, sing the “peel banana” song with Betty Williams, envy Wangari Masthai’s outfit, plan for an NPR interview with Jody Williams and sing, dance and [...]
Posted in Jameen Kaur, Nobel Women's Initiative on June 1, 2007 | 2 Comments »
by Jameen Kaur, NWI rapporteur, Amnesty International Ireland
At 9.30 this morning we were again reminded of the humanity and inner resilience of Dau Aung San Suu Kyi and her continued struggle against an illegal military dictatorship as her presence overflowed from the giant screen. Her unjust absence from the conference is a cruel reminder of [...]
Posted in Jane Gabriel, Nobel Women's Initiative on June 1, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jane Gabriel, openDemocracy’s program director
The Laureates, having sat amongst us all day, each day and listened to the stories being told and the arguments that came and went, have proposed four areas in which they might move forward. More media strategies. Linkages between disarmament and violence against women. A women’s peace statue. An [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Rebecca Barlow on June 1, 2007 | 1 Comment »
by Rebecca Barlow, NWI rapporteur, PhD Candidate at the Centre for Muslim Minorities and Islam Policy Studies in Melbourne
It will be difficult to convey in words the depth and breadth of what has happened over the past three days here in Galway. Each day we have been witness to countless women activists’ stories of [...]
Posted in Amelia Korangy, Nobel Women's Initiative on June 1, 2007 | 2 Comments »
by Amelia Korangy, NWI rapporteur, FAIR fund
After the immense dialogue that took place today, I feel a bit foolish. Usually, I take solace and recognize my own self-efficacy that has come as consequence of my dedication to the non-profit world. As a well educated, 21 year old woman growing up just outside of [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Roja Bandari on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Roja Bandari, NWI rapporteur, PhD student in electrical engineering
Getting up wasn’t so easy this morning and my jetlag has been so hard to shake off. I got a cab to get to the conference this morning and had another good conversation with my driver. The Irish are really nice people! It is in the [...]
Posted in Jameen Kaur, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jameen Kaur, NWI rapporteur, Amnesty International Ireland
Today we danced. We moved our bodies to the banana song sang by Nani from Indonesia. However my heart feels sore as I write. The peace process causes me pain. The peace process requires a deep inner strength, which sadly governments do not initiate. I saw the real [...]
Posted in Jane Gabriel, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jane Gabriel, openDemocracy’s program director
“There comes a time when you lose your fear and thing are never quite the same again.”
The fact that we are in Ireland is having a powerful effect on us all – because amidst the terrible stories, the attempts to analyse, explain and come up with new solutions to [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Rebecca Barlow on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Rebecca Barlow, NWI rapporteur, PhD Candidate at the Centre for Muslim Minorities and Islam Policy Studies in Melbourne
Yesterday I wrote about those moments during the NWI conference when the entire room has been left in momentary silence, but it is the afternoon session of day two of the conference that has left me most [...]
Posted in Jane Gabriel, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jane Gabriel, openDemocracy’s program director
I’m struck by the completely relaxed way the five Laureates wander around the hotel with us all – sharing breakfast tables, smoking breaks, chatting with everyone as they go. This is direct, informal contact, anyone can and does talk to anyone. Jodi Williams has said that they want to [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Roja Bandari on May 31, 2007 | No Comments »
by Roja Bandari, NWI rapporteur, PhD student in electrical engineering
I don’t know how one can sleep after such a day! I stayed awake in my bed until 4 am thinking about it. So many outstanding speakers from all over the world pumped information into my head all day. It was surreal and I shouldn’t really [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Roja Bandari on May 30, 2007 | 1 Comment »
by Roja Bandari, NWI rapporteur, PhD student in electrical engineering
As an Iranian-American, I work to help my sisters in Iran while living in the US where my own life is affected by women’s image and position in the society. When I came to the US at the age of 20, I was accustomed to the [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative, Rebecca Barlow on May 30, 2007 | No Comments »
by Rebecca Barlow, NWI rapporteur, PhD Candidate at the Centre for Muslim Minorities and Islam Policy Studies in Melbourne
The Nobel Women’s Initiative’s First International Conference opened on day one with over eighty scholars and activists introducing themselves. The diversity of voices in the room was nothing short of astounding, reflected only very partially in [...]
Posted in Amelia Korangy, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 30, 2007 | 1 Comment »
by Amelia Korangy, NWI rapporteur, FAIR-fund
As the first day of the conference winds down to its end, I must say I am exhausted. Women activists from all over the world spoke at length about the conflicts, power relationships, and linkages between social justice issues that communities around the globe are confronting. It is challenging to [...]
Posted in Jameen Kaur, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 30, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jameen Kaur, NWI rapporteur, Amnesty International Ireland
Suddenly there are faces to names. The First Nobel Women’s Initiative opened today, and with it the excitement of so many possibilities. Unlike many other conferences, this one opened with unexpected hugs from delegates from all around the world. Behind smiles, colourful outfits and vibrant languages were stories [...]
Posted in Amelia Korangy, Nobel Women's Initiative on May 30, 2007 | No Comments »
by Amelia Korangy, NWI rapporteur
I come to this conference as a very recent college graduate with all of the grand aspirations one could hope a well-educated and creative student would embody. Luckily, a history in the independent sector working for non-profits has instilled within me a remarkable degree of self-efficacy, and so as I embark [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on May 30, 2007 | No Comments »
by Roja Bandari, NWI rapporteur
I’m packing my laptop, some music, and a blow-up pillow for the plane ride and I’m intensely hoping for the person sitting next to me to be interesting. I feel tingly at the thought of being at the conference, in the same room as many world-renowned and outstanding scholars and activists [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on May 23, 2007 | No Comments »
by Jameen Kaur, NWI rapporteur
I have a magnitude of thoughts: I think the conference will represent a fantastic and much needed opportunity for women from around the globe to learn the reality of what is happening at various levels: judiciary, grassroot, community and even within the family circle - the challenges this reality brings and [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on May 23, 2007 | No Comments »
By Rebecca Barlow, NWI rapporteur
I keep a keen eye on the NWI website. When I learnt of the NWI conference and the direct relation of its theme (‘Women Redefining Peace in the Middle East and Beyond’) to my research, I immediately inquired about the possibility of attending and assisting at the conference. I was thrilled [...]
Posted in Nobel Women's Initiative on May 22, 2007 | No Comments »
The Nobel Women’s Initiative was established in 2006 by sister Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire.
The six women - representing North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa - have decided to bring together our extraordinary experiences in a united effort [...]
