Ahhhh! What a day. Well the conference started the evening
before where we had a talk at 7PM in Bradenstoke byZarghuna Kargar, she was so inspiring. I wish I
had gotten into her workshop, but I was glad to hear her. At least a hundred of
the students turned up to listen to her talk about her work travelling around
Afghanistan, collecting stories from women for the BBC World Service
programme Afghan Women's Hour, and then from these stories, she
wanted to share them and created a book. Her bravery and determination to have
these women’s voices heard was truly touching.
My first workshop of the day was by an ex-AC German student.
He is one of those people who go to Oxford and then decide to do their Masters
in Cambridge (or maybe the other way around). Anyways, the workshop was called
the Right to Civil Disobedience in the Middle East. His workshop was more on
moderating us talking to each other, adding in the legal terms or changing
tactics if the issue got to heated. The most interesting topics the group of
about 10 delved into were where to draw the line: break the law because you
want change, but then accept the punishment which that same legal system enforces? And how to measure the collateral impact of
ones actions, if a consequential point of view and the proportionality of the
crime should be taken into consideration.
My next Workshop was led by two close friends, Shana and
David. It was titled ‘A Day in the Life of’. This one was again really well
researched and prepared for. Shana, through a contact as AC, had managed to
speak to about half a dozen teenagers our age in places like Libya, UAE and
Israel. It asked them general questions like their favourite food, music and
what they did on the weekend. Their goal in this respect was to prove how much
in common we have with them (as AC does already). But then it asked what the
Middle East meant to them. And their definitions of a place that they dream of
peace, of freedom and safety- but also of how much they love their home, and
how proud and patriotic they are of where they are from. It had a few accounts of students that are at
AC- one thing this conference has taught me is that I need to be more curious.
I need to ask my peers what’s going on in their homes, and try to understand
the conflicts from two points of view. The realisation of how little we truly
know in Cayman saddens me. I may be naïve, but I don’t believe more than 2 of a
dozen of my friends would be able to explain even briefly the conflict between
Israel and Palestine. It’s something I really want to work towards when I’m
back home in the future- having teenagers get more involved in global issues.
My third workshop was led by Anantya from India and Emily
from the UAE (but Irish).It was entitled Modern Slavery and about the mentality
which needs to be changed in the UAE countries towards bringing in migrant
workers. I knew most of the information from reading an article over the summer
when I was on work experience about Dubai, but to be amplified by statistics
and personal recounts from both Anantya witnessing families leaving and Emily
seeing workers living in pitiful conditions just next door to her was
enthralling.
I’ve been asked as part of my reflection to answer a few
questions, so here goes:
1. Has your perception of the Middle East
changed?
To be honest, if I was asked this
question at the beginning of the conference I would have struggled to come up
with a concrete, decent answer. I don’t want to be one of the cliché answers,
saying there is great conflict and oppression in various degrees. But I knew
very little. I now know more, still not enough but this conference has
intrigued me to want to learn more. So yes, my perception is still
changing.
2. If you could go to any country in the
Middle East, which one would it be and why?
The way Zari spoke about
Afghanistan, I would love to do volunteer work and learn what makes her eyes
sparkle when she speaks about her home. Though I do not see the possibility of
my father allowing me to do such a thing for years to come.
3. What’s one thing you would want to change
in the Middle East?
Being such a feminist, I hope all girls
will have the right to an education to. I realise it is a long way off until
there is such thing as Co-Ed schools…but I hope every girl/women is given the
chance to have an education, choose to marry the man she loves and make her own
decisions.
4. How are you going to act differently after
this conference?
As I stated earlier, I’m going to try and
learn more from my peers. Inquire. Question. I don’t want to leave AC and not
have a thorough understanding, it’s an opportunity so special and I must not
get bogged down with other duties to appreciate it.
