Hissa Hilal, Saudi Poet - The voice of the Million’s
If all goes her way, Hissa Hilal, a Saudi poet, will win Dh5m next week at the finale of Million’s Poet. As a young girl she was forced to write in secret and hide her poems under the bed from strict Bedouin parents who did no...
Australia re-engaging with Africa
Acknowledgment: Kristi Maroc Phone: 02 9351 7009 Email: kristi.maroc@sydney.edu.au
19 March 2010
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Mr Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has today used the University of Sydney's Internat...
Australia and Africa: Looking to the Future
Speech by Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, University of Sydney International Forum on Africa, Sydney
16 March 2010
Thank you for your kind introduction.
Your Excellency Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales;&n...
Prof Ahmed Samatar's Visit to Australia during the Horn of Africa week in Melbourne.
11-17th March, Prof. Samatar will engage many in Australia by giving lectures at:
La Trobe University on the 12th 3-4pm (see the flyer above)
Vic parliament for the Somali students ...
Friend in need.....reflections from my recent visit to Malaysia.
When the whole world ignored Somalia…one country stood up quietly, without drum beats or headlines, or invitation to corrupted officials, and opened its doors to welcome the traumatized Somali youth as well as elders, mothers and c...
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Hissa Hilal, a Saudi poet
Saturday, 03 April 2010 00:35
Hissa Hilal, Saudi Poet - The voice of the Million’s
If all goes her way, Hissa Hilal, a Saudi poet, will win Dh5m next week at the finale of Million’s Poet. As a young girl she was forced to write in secret and hide her poems under the bed from strict Bedouin parents who did not believe it was a socially acceptable activity for girls.
As
a young girl she was forced to write in secret and hide her poems under
the bed from strict Bedouin parents who did not believe it was a
socially acceptable activity for girls.
But now Hissa Hilal,
43, has become a cause célèbre for her passionate and scathing attacks
against the oppression of Arab women which have earned her admiration –
and some scorn – from millions of people around the world. The Saudi poet, a finalist on the hit show Million’s Poet to be broadcast on Abu Dhabi TV next week, appears overwhelmed by the global attention.
“I
feel really happy to be here. I didn’t expect this. I always knew a
poem could affect people but I didn’t know one poem could do all of
this.” A month ago, Mrs Hilal was an unknown housewife living
in Riyadh, a mother of four children who, like many Saudi women, are
angry about the discrimination they face, but feel powerless to change
anything.
Since then, her compositions for the semi-final rounds which
criticised “ad hoc fatwas” and compared those who veil the truth to the
explosives belts worn by suicide bombers, have spread like wildfire
around the world. Even the American channel Fox News, hardly the voice of sympathy for Arab causes, called her “brave”.
“Arab
society has the ideas I have and the feelings I have, but nobody wants
to talk about it,” shesays. “So I am breaking the silence and being the
first to talk.” Mrs Hilal
speaks in a low, deep voice. She does not take off her niqab, the face
veil, even though she is in a room with women only. She is conscious
that if she wins the Million’s Poet final next Wednesday, the media attention will intensify and her family will lose even more privacy. In
the Middle East, she has become a household name, with websites
applauding and denouncing her. She has even received death threats. For the moment, she is hoping to find some peace over the weekend to
prepare for the final, in which she goes head to head with four other
contestants for the Dh5 million (US$1.3m) first prize. If she wins, Mrs
Hilal will be the first woman do so.
Million’s Poet
focuses on the Nabati style of poetry popular in the Arabian peninsula.
Mrs Hilal’s husband and four daughters, aged seven to 11, travelled
with her to Abu Dhabi, but they will not be sitting in the Al Raha
Beach Theatre because they fear harassment. “My family do not want me to involve them in all of this,” Mrs Hilal says. “They prefer to watch from the hotel room.” Her
life story is remarkable. She was born in a tent, in the vast desert
between the borders of Saudi Arabia and eastern Jordan. Her family were
Bedouin and are from al Malihan tribe. Her parents settled in the Saudi
capital, Riyadh, when she was young. “I was born and grew up
in the desert. I used to like reading and writing. It is my nature.
When I first heard poetry and music as a young girl in the desert, it
attracted me. I was immersed and would think of its meaning, its
feeling.” But she rebelled against conservative, nomadic culture by expressing interest in writing.
Speech by Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, University of Sydney International Forum on Africa, Sydney
16 March 2010
Thank you for your kind introduction.
Your Excellency Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales; University of Sydney Vice Chancellor, Michael Spence; Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission; Tendai Biti, Minister of Finance, Zimbabwe; Sue van der Merwe, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa; Mr Brahim Fassi-Fihri, President of the Amadeus Institute of Morocco; Marie Roussety, High Commissioner for Mauritius and Dean of the Africa Group in the Diplomatic Corps;Ambassadors and High Commissioners; Professor Geoff Gallop; Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
I am pleased to be here today to speak about the importance of the relationship between Australia and Africa, the continent, its countries and its peoples. I have on many occasions spoken about the Government’s commitment to broaden and deepen Australia’s engagement with Africa.
From Perth, there is a somewhat different perspective on our region, seeing Australia both as a country of the Indian Ocean, as well as a Pacific nation.
Australia needs to look west to Africa. For too long Australia had not given Africa the priority that it deserved. I am pleased to be here today to outline the progress the Australia Government has made in enhancing that relationship.
A changing Africa
Africa is changing for the better and this is under appreciated in Australia as it is internationally. It is a more stable, free and prosperous continent than it was a decade ago. The number of countries in crisis has declined and significant conflicts have ended, including civil wars in western and central Africa. Later this year, South Africa will host the World Cup.
Mr Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has today used the University of Sydney's International Forum, Australia's Re-engagement with Africa, to announce further Australian assistance for Africa.
The forum brought together a range of leaders and thinkers from around the world to share their views on strategic international issues, and was held in the University of Sydney's MacLaurin Hall.
Outlining a priority to broaden and deepen Australia's engagement with Africa during a keynote address, Mr Smith said that for too long Australia had not given Africa the priority that it deserved.
"In this financial year 2009/10, Australia's development assistance to Africa will increase by 40 per cent on the previous financial year 2008/09, providing assistance to over 30 countries. This includes assisting African countries reach their Millennium Development Goals, particularly in the areas of food security, water and sanitation and child and maternal health".
Prof Ahmed Samatar's Visit to Australia during the Horn of Africa week in Melbourne.
11-17th March, Prof. Samatar will engage many in Australia by giving lectures at:
La Trobe University on the 12th 3-4pm (see the flyer above)
Vic parliament for the Somali students graduation ceremony on March 12th 6-8pm; more on this please contact Yusuf on 0421785194.
Monday 15 March 2010, 6:30pm Melbourne University - Carrillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre, Swanston Street University of Melbourne, Parkville.
“Muslims and the West: What Future?”
Tuesday 16 March 2010, 5.30 – 7.00 pm Baldwin Spencer-Theatre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville campus (3rd building on Tin Alley road, from Swanston street entrance, before student union house)
"TERRORISM THREAT _ MYTH OR REALITY?"
Wednesday 17th March 2010 2-4pm, Monash Univeisrty, School of political science and social inquiry, global terrorism research centre.
" Between Two Worlds: Reflections on Diasporic Somalis and recent developments in the Horn of Africa"
The purpose of these series of lectures, discussions and workshops are to inform the Australian community in general, specifically the Somali community about recent events in the Horn of Africa as well as contemporary issues regarding Islam and the West. for more information about Prof Samatar's visit to Australia, please contact Mohamed Ibrahim -
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There are more focused Somali community meetings, for more information about this 'soul searching' and frank discussions among the Somali community, please contact Yusuf on 0421785194 or Mohamed on 0425104105.
More info - updates to the schedule will appear here.
Last Updated on Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:06
Somali Community Conference
Thursday, 15 October 2009 00:00
“The Best of Both Worlds” - A One Day Youth Conference on Somali Australian Education and Identity
Somali Australians are one of the largest African communities with refugee backgrounds in Australia. According to the latest data, young people make up more than 50% of this community in Melbourne and they face a multitude of challenges in their transition to adulthood and in the process of achieving their dreams and building their future in and out of Australia.
This one day conference organized by the La Trobe Refugee Research Centre in partnership with Victorian Young Somali Network and Somali Australia Friendship Association will listen to the voices of Somali Australian young people and give them a platform to reflect on their experiences of living and growing in Australia. The speakers are all members of the Somali Community.
Broadly, this conference will provide a forum for the Somali community to come together to share, support, network, and build partnerships to improve Somali education opportunities and awareness of Somali values. This conference also aims to explore the issues that have posed challenges for the Somali community, especially for the youth, in relation to education and to explore how to address those issues.
The Conference will be held on Saturday, 24 October 2009 from 11:00AM-18:00PM
at the Western Lecture Theatre, La Trobe University. For further information please
visit www.latrobe.edu.au/larrc or phone + 61 3 9479 5874.
Supported by: Spectrum MRC, ADRC, AMES, City of Darebin, Innovative Recruitment Agency, and the La Trobe University Equity and Diversity Centre.
