Thursday, January 15, 2009

Mother and Revolution conference in Calart

Kurdistan will be featured in California Institute of the Arts AOW
Conference on Saturday January 17th, 09
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Jan 15-18th are important dates for artists and activists from around the globe to convene on mutual matters.
On Saturday January 17th the fourth annual Arts in One World Conference will host Kurdish activists, artists and researchers.
Each year this conference gathers international human rights activists, writers, historians and students to confront the repercussions of genocidal conflicts and explore the intersection of human rights activism and cultural practice.
This year’s theme is: “Motherhood and Revolution: How women, and mothers in particular, are innovating in conflict and post conflict circumstances, and expanding the models for ways in which one is an artist/activist in the world.”
The main issues the upcoming Arts in the One World conference addresses are issues in Rwanda, Palestine, and Kurdistan through workshops, panel and round table discussions, readings, films and live performance.
Saturday morning will be on Kurdistan.
Performers and panelists will be present at the contemporary Kurdish scene, locally and internationally. Nancy Buchanan, Soraya Fallah, Choman Hardi, and Cklara Moradian.
The keynote speaker is contemporary Kurdish poet, Choman Hardi, who will discuss “Genocide, Rape and Silence in Kurdistan/Artistic Practice in Response to the Anfal.”
Cklara Moradian, Philosophy student, human rights activists, and spoken word artist will perform her piece “A Tortured Cliché, A Fragmented Identity.”
Nancy Buchanan, Film/Video faculty at Cal Arts will present and introduce a documentary on Kurdish women she made last year in Kurdistan.
Soraya Fallah, women rights activist will be having a talk on this topic: “Kurdish Mothers as Artists and Peaceful Revolutionaries against Genocide through the singing of lullabies.” She is explaining the endowment of Kurdish language and heritage through lullabies as sung by Kurdish mothers to their children in time of conflict and post conflict.
Rita Naisan, Iranian photographer, will be displaying an exhibition of her ethnic, cultural, and valuable photography during the conference. She has a range of photos from Kurdish women in villages, and even modern Kurdish women.
There will also be a mini festival of documentary films after the Kurdish section.

Attendance is FREE and if you choose to stay for the other days hotel discount is available.
Hospitality & Dining
Fruit, baked goods, coffee and tea will be available for free in the mornings and throughout the day. On Saturday evening we offer a free potluck dinner; feel free to bring a dish; but otherwise, there’s always plenty to go around.
Registration
Please email Cammy Berndt (cberndt@calarts.edu), letting us know when you’re coming.

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