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.

Simone de Beauvoir Award

One Million Signature Campaign Honored with Simone de Beauvoir Award

Change for Equality

vokradio.com One Million Signature Campaign Honored with Simone de Beauvoir Award Friday 9 January 2009 Report/Translation by: Sussan Tahmasebi Change for Equality: According to a report by Radio France, Persian Service the One Million Signatures Campaign has been awarded the Simone de Beauvoir Award by the foundation set up in the memory of this Feminist theorist and writer. For the past two years on the 9th of January, the birthday of Simone de Beauvoir an Award has been given to persons or groups which work to promote women’s rights. Julia Kristeva, the renowned Bulgarian-French philosopher, writer and psychoanalyst who is the founder of the Award and who heads the jury for the Award explained more about the decision of the Jury in an interview with Radio France, Persian Service: "Simone de Beauvoir continued the struggle for women's rights-an effort that has spanned two centuries. With her world renowned book 'The Second Sex' Simone de Beauvoir created a Revolution in the international women's movement. The jury for this award, which is comprised of approximately 20 internationally known figures including several writers, sociologists, philosophers, journalists and politicians, wanted to emphasize the fact that the struggle for women's rights is not a French, European or Western concept, rather it is a struggle that has attracted women across the world. Last year this Award was given to Taslima Nasreen, who has been harassed and persecuted [in relation to her struggles for women's rights]. This year we were immensely moved by the courage of Iranian women and the innovate style of their struggle. This movement [the One Million Signatures Campaign] is engaged in an important effort to explain the meaning and nature of human rights and women's rights to women themselves, encouraging each of them to become involved in the struggle against inequities. The One Million Signatures Campaign is a new and innovative movement because it has not taken shape around one progressive and famous central figure, rather it is a broad movement, where activists visit with other women, engage in face to face discussions with them, they go home to home, and explain to each woman about women's rights. Through this [face-to-face] strategy and through the internet they have created a broad network of ideas and persons, which includes women from all backgrounds, including women from low income and socio-economically advantaged groups. This effort is in line with the spirit of Simone de Beauvoir's work. By giving this Award to [to the One Million Signatures Campaign] we want to encourage these women and demonstrate our love and solidarity with them." It is worth mentioning that in honor of Simone de Beauvoir's birthday the site of the Campaign in France was also launched. The first news item appearing on this site is about the Simone de Beauvoir Award presented to the One Million Signatures Campaign. Take a look at the Campaign's site in France.