Woman Scream: a Scream in History at the International Book Fair in Santo Domingo

The Movimiento Mujeres Poetas Internacional (Women Poets International Movement-MPI) had its special participation at the XVI International Book Fair of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Not only enjoying the important exhibitions, supporting the various workshops, women recitals, national and international presentations, but also celebrating on May 5, 2013, from 3-5 pm at the Pabellón de la Poesía (Pavilion of Poetry), its Woman Scream: a Scream in History, special edition. The spectators enjoyed a summary of the events that took place in the world during the long chain of 100 events worldwide, that formed this 2013 the International Poetry Festival that bears its name, and learned a little more about the work of this movement in the quest to rescuing quality women's poetry both young talents and well-known poets. Woman Scream special edition also presented a recount of the event celebrated in the Dominican Republic last March 16, 2013 at the Teatro Nacional (National Theatre): Mujeres en Grande (Women in Big). About 7 women poets participated at the book fair and stole much applause with their transgressive woman poetry in favor of non-violence, and self-esteem. Among the poets who supported the event were: Jael Uribe (President MPI), Dulce Urena, Mirtha Gutierrez Gonzalez (Cuban), Maria Palitachi (USA), Graciela De la Cruz (Ce-Mujer), Denisse Spanish (Punta Cana), the cuban poet, straight from Miami, Ada Bezos Castilla. Besides the writer Dr. Eduardo Gautreau de Windt, who conducted the event celebrated last march.

Woman Scream: A Scream in History, left its stamp marked on the large number of the assistants: some standing, others from outside the windows, paid special attention to each unique performance within the two hours that lasted the event. The  Poetry Pavilion was masterfully led by its director and MPI Goodwill Ambassador, the writer Ramón Saba, who read a poem dedicated to Jael Uribe entitled: “Adoro a esta guerrera” ( I adore this warrior), wining the public applause.

The event featured an exquisite public who participated interactively, exchanging ideas, sharing experiences, opinions on the subject of violence, poems, tips and interesting comments. Moreover, the movement held a lottery among attendees who won books from the participants, anthologies of women poets, CDs of the music presented at Woman Scream in Santo Domingo. People thanked the neighboring countries united in this work worldwide. Women Poets International (MPI) thanked the attendees for their support, letting the audience know that their welcome and acceptance is what drives the movement to continue the hard work it does, in a completely altruistic and selfless effort in behalf of the cause.

Woman Scream 2013 New Zealand

Catalyst Road Show 2, 3^rd Woman Scream International Poetry Festival, 14th March

Gap Filler Summer Pallet Pavilion, Christchurch, New Zealand

As part of the 3rd Woman Scream International Poetry Festival, the Catalyst Road Show rolled on in to the incredible space of the Gap Filler Summer Pallet Pavilion. A visually engaging and dynamic space, the Summer Pallet Pavilion is built from over 3000 wooden pallets and is a showcase for the possibilities of innovative transitional architecture in a city that is ready to embrace new ideas, after the loss of clubrooms and community halls demolished as a result of the earthquakes.

This is the first time New Zealand has been represented in this international celebration of women’s voices. We were proud to showcase a line-up of some of Christchurch's many talented emerging poets and musicians as one of more than 30 countries linking up for the festival throughout March. The all-women programme featured:

Marisa Cappetta, Helen Back, Kimberley Holmes, Sarah Amazinnia, Rosa Hughes-Currie, Rebecca Nash and musicians Courtenay Stickels and Kate Anastasiou.

An open mic section was open to all poets, male and female. The ticket price included a free, limited edition chapbook featuring the poems and songs of the nights programme:

Knitting Lessons

My mother’s left hand

is an anarchist.

My mother’s left hand

holds a cigarette

like a movie star.

My mother’s left hand

teaches a stroke patient

to button her shirt.

My mother’s left hand

peels an orange

for her daughter.

My left hand is a goat

useless except for

the subversive underground

knitting my mother’s

left hand taught me.

-Marisa Cappetta

We donated $370 NZD from the door sales to Christchurch Women’s Refuge here in New Zealand in honour of the themes of Woman Scream. Christchurch Women's Refuge is an independent Canterbury-based charity which provides specialist family violence services to women and children living with and surviving family violence.  We are very proud that we could make a donation and at the same time raise awareness to domestic violence issues. It was a great privilege to be able to participate in this worldwide event and to be able to honour women through such a worthy and noble cause.

--Doc Drumheller, Editor for Catalyst

 

To see more photos and photos of the worldwide events click HERE

To check other countries events go HERE

Woman Scream 2013 South Carolina (USA)

Woman Scream in Columbia, South Carolina (USA)

Supporters: HeTePu Productions; Mind Gravy Poetry; Sun Spirit Yoga Wellness Center & Sistercare

HeTePu Productions recently produced our version of the 3^rd Woman’s Scream which took place in Columbia, SC. It was important because Columbia has the 2^nd highest rate for Domestic Violence against women in the United States. As such, we were excited to be a part of this historical event that has touched so many people across the globe. 

We used the 3^rd Woman’s Scream event as an opportunity to educate the public, so we created a Bulletin Board with visual images from across the globe and provided empowerment information from Sistercare, a local Women’s Shelter. We also had an Artist, Baruti painting live at the Festival, who donated the Masterpiece for a private auction and 20% of the proceeds were given to two Community Based Organizations working with young girls. In all, we had 17 Artists participate, including Poets, Musicians, Visual Artists and Singers who volunteered their time & talent to come out on Saturday, March 30, 2013 to Sun Spirit Yoga Wellness Studio, take off their shoes and bare their Souls in support of women and against Domestic Violence. 

The Studio was filled with a demographically diverse group of Youth & Elders; Men & Women; Mothers; Daughters; Sons and Fathers, all pausing for a good cause……. We had many courageous women share their work, including a Breast Cancer Survivor who was inspiring to others, but also felt healed by the good energy generated in the Yoga Studio. In addition, we had a TV News Reporter come out to cover the event and the interview with footage aired on the local news that night, which allowed us to get the message out to an even larger audience.

 In review of the comments made by both participants and our audience about the 3^rd Woman’s Scream, their responses to this event was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, we’re encouraged by that outcome, since many of the Artists have already signed on to participate in next year’s 4^th Woman’s Scream event, should we have the opportunity to do it again. 

By, S.G. Amenwahsu

 

Woman Scream 2013 Russia St Petersburg

By T. Luisa Calderón

Women Poets International presented “Woman Scream 2013”, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Saturday March 23rd, at the Centro Adelante Spanish Language and Culture. This year the festival opened in four languages, Spanish, Russian, English and Italian. Young poets raised their voices in an artistic poetry evening. Parts of the artistic repertoire were the ballet dance and violin play of: the young student of the Vaganova Ballet Academy: Sofia Sakamoto and from the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre: second violinist, Aфонькина Bиктория.

The associate professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Natalia Alexandrova, conveyed a message of high human content in favor of women, and the effects of self-esteem, indifference, isolation, caused by the psychological and physical abuse imposed by the violent attacks of his assailant. And The MPI Ambassador, Teresita Luisa Calderon welcomed: Malala, your scream is ours, ushering the festival acts.

How can we cry, if we have sewn together the lips.

How we can escape, if we have cuts in the legs.

How can we see, if the eyes were badly beaten.

How can we point a finger, if the hands are tied.

How can we be brave, if we have always been afraid.

How can we love, if we have never been loved.

How can we learn, if we have no right to go to school.

To heal and break these words, poets found the most beautiful lyrical, creative and talented expressions. Men of letters, also poets, burst in understanding and in defense of women, Борис Мисонжников director of the Journalism Department at the University of St. Petersburg, Doctor of Philology, writer and poet, recited a poem of his collection, also Professor Ilyja Kolodyazhny, teacher from the same faculty. So the closing came with love and gratitude: Malala, your scream is ours.

 

To see more photos and photos of the worldwide events click HERE

To check other countries events go HERE 

 

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III Международный фестиваль поэзии «Женский крик»

Санкт-Петербург, Россия

©T. Луиcа Кальдерон

«Международные Женщины Поэты» представили свой «Женский крик 2013» в Санкт-Петербурге в субботу, 23 марта, в Центре испанского языка и культуры «Adelante». В этом году фестиваль был открыт на четырёх языках: испанском, русском, английском и итальянском. Молодые поэты подняли свои голоса на художественно-поэтическом вечере, в репертуаре которого участвовали: молодая ученица Академии русского балета имени А.Я. Вагановой София Сакамото и Aфонькина Bиктория, вторая скрипка Молодёжного филармонического оркестра Мариинского театра.

Наталья Александрова, профессор Российской Академии Наук, чья речь была наполнена высоким гуманистическим содержанием о женщине и о последствиях недостатка самоуважения, безразличия, замкнутости, обусловленных жестоким физическим и психологическим обращением, насильственными атаками со стороны своего агрессора. Тересита Луиса Кальдерон, посол организации «Международные Женщины Поэты», открывая фестиваль, произнесла: «Малала, твой крик – наш».

Как мы можем кричать, если наши губы заплатаны.

Как мы можем бежать, если наши ноги обрублены.

Как нам видеть, если наши глаза опухли от ударов.

Как нам подать знак, если наши руки связаны.

Как быть смелыми, если мы всегда были запуганы.

Как нам любить, если мы никогда не были любимы.

Как нам изучать, если мы не ходим школу.

Чтобы разорвать эти слова, все поэты внесли свою лепту в лирическом и творческом отголоске, полном талантов. Мужчины-поэты также присоединились в защиту женщин, в их числе Борис Мисонжников, заведующий кафедрой периодической печати Санкт-Петербургского Университета, профессор, доктор филологических наук, писатель, подаривший нам одну из своих поэм, а также профессор Илья Колодяжный, преподаватель этого же факультета. И так наступило закрытие фестиваля: «Малала, твой крик – наш».

 

 

Woman Scream 2013 Athenas-Greece

The writer Helena Stagkouraki, goodwill ambassador of Women Poets International in Athenas, along with Poeticanet, were in charge of coordinating an event in that city that formed part of the chain of events of the third Woman Scream International Poetry Festival ( Festival Internacional de Poesía Grito de Mujer) 2013 at the Cultura Instituto Cervantes Atenas yesterday 13 of march in the evening, dedicated to the "missing" women and the victims of the feminicides in Latin America and the rest of the world in general, gave us the opportunity to hear about shocking statistics about women-victims of violence here in Greece and in Latin America. Some of her words brought tears to many eyes, specially in the part where she aborded the stories of: Susana Chavez murdered in Mexico, Juarez situation, and when she mention some other cases intertationally known in Latin American Culture.

 

During her speech Helena showed a very interesting presentation about all the work that represented the festival in the world and let everyone know its purpose and the work of Women Poets International Movement (Mujeres Poetas Internacional MPI) It also allowed us to submerge into the magic of feminine Greek poetry read and performed by Greek poetesses. "I greatly thank all participants". Said Helena at the end of the event after hearing all the excellent feedback from the asistants.

At the end of the event, Helena was invited to talk about the subject of violence in Latin American Culture at a Forum in Athenas University.

Woman Scream 2013 in Kosovo

As part of the Woman Scream International Poetry festival, a recital was celebrated last 12 of March at 11 a.m. in Kosovo, organized by Kosovo PEN center for the second time in the city of Pristina. The coordinators of the event were the poets Ilire Zajmi and Fahredin Shehu.

The event counted with the presence of men and women poets and artists who join the cause that for this time honored Malala Yusufzai from Afghanistan. Actress Anisa Ismajli read part from the book of Oriana Falaci, "Letter to my unborn child". In the piccolo she was attended by female musician Lule Ballata. 

Second part of the activity, followed with two reviews prepared by Lindita Tahiri, professor and writer, and the next one was presented by Naime Beqiraj, poetess. After that, an open discussion was organized about: “female voice in literature" where everyone participated. 

The last part of the activity was a poetry reading with the poets: Edi Shukriu, Fahredin Shehu, Trina Gojani, Shukrije Gashi, Kujtim Pacaku, Blerina Rogova Gaxha, Nerimane Kamberi, Xheraldina Vula who completed the event with their poems. 

To see more photos and photos of the worldwide events click HERE

To check other countries events go HERE

Woman Scream 2013 Tanzania

According to Neema Komba, founder of La Poetista and coordinator of Woman Scream International Poetry Festival in Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania, the event was great. Last 07^th of march 2013 at 6 pm, many people gathered in Nyumbani Lounge, at the Tranic Plaza in Ada Estate to say NO to violence against women. The act begun with a regular open mic and the magic words where just said: “We are launching Woman Scream”. We invited a lot of people, and over 150 showed up. Said Neema, and the venue was packed.

An open mic started with people from the audience that performed poetry, and music. Then the director of ILO in Tanzania launched Woman Scream. She introduced it, and shared her experience as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and a series of other abuses when she was older. One time she was raped at gunpoint. She is an author of Joy comes in the morning, an autobiography that also has some poetry.

After the launch, there was an inspirational speech from the national director of SOS Children Village, and she shared her experience as well. She had gone through childhood abuse, emotional abuse and physical abuse from her previous marriage. She shared how she got out of it...how she survived. She touched people as she spoke.

Right after the poetry recital begun, it was the one the coordinator had programmed. “You should have seen it” -Said Neema- “We recorded it, and we had two tv stations that will air it”. People cried. It made an amazing impact.  There was a performance with drums and a piano. It was emotional. The coordinator performed with Nancy and Joy. Nancy is the co- founder of La Poetista. Joy is from a college poetry group called the Noisy Pens, she is from Uganda and she studies architecture at a local college.

Then along came the featured guest: Maya Azucena, her performance was truly amazing. She wrote the theme song for one billion rising called dance revolution...so we showed it at the event, the message of it was to fight violence. People talked about it. And organizations that desk with this now are listening. Also they had a projector going on with An artist from the UK called Adelaide Damoah who sent some pictures from her domestic violence collection, they were powerful images. Neema told how hard it was for them to get support to get through the barriers to make the event, but she said: “We sent proposals and no one would support us. They didn’t know the power of poetry. The team worked hard, really hard. We had no money at all....but it happened”. So she made it with the help of solidary poets and artists that joined the cause out of love (as many things are done in Woman Scream worldwide! As always poetry is powerful, so does love).

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A sencond  Woman Scream 2013 event stroke again in the Nyumbani Lounge at Dar es-Salam in Tanzania with the invited renowned spoken word artist from Nairobi, Kenya called Sitawa Wafula, many people went to La Poetisa on marcj 21st after 6pm to enjoy her talent and to hear the arstist who shared her own experience as a survivor from her upcoming project called Coffee Bean. Sitawa, was very inspiring and many people attended the event to take part of this sencond Woman Scream in Tanzania.

Coordinators of La Poetisa want to thank all the people who became part of this two events and that took WS to their hearts. "We can't wait for the next year's scream" said Neema Komba.

 

 

 

To see more photos and photos of the worldwide events click HERE

To check other countries events go HERE

Woman Scream 2013 dedicated to Malala Yusufzai

Congratulations to Malala Yusufzai! Women Poets International Movement (Mujeres Poetas internacional, MPI) joins the joy of his nomination to the Nobel Prize for Peace and dedicates its Woman Scream 2013 to this brave girl, future poet of our times. 

On October 9, 2012 Malala Yusufzai, a Pakistani girl of 15, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in response to the campaign launched against the destruction of girls' schools in the country. Malala risked her life by refusing to obey the order and went to her school claiming the right to education of girls worldwide. Her dream is to become a doctor and poetess, her name Malala, comes from another prominent poetess Malalai of Maiwand (called the poet of Fasto in Afghanistan, the Afghan Joan of Arc who died at 18 in the battlefield carrying the flag of her people during the war). The courage of Malala has caused a global movement that believe  she should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

The first step has been achieved. Malala was nominated for the award. Only some institutions, such as parliaments, have option to submit nominations. So in several countries were created petitions calling for political groups in parliament to nominate her for the prize. It has been victorious, Malala was nominated!

Woman Scream 2013 participating countries

3rd. Woman Scream International Poetry Festival called from the Dominican Republic by the Movement Women Poets International (Mujeres Poetas Internacional-MPI) and will be held in many countries and cities that have joined the long chain of events worldwide with the only intention of paying a fitting tribute to women through poetry, music, arts and other activities of interest throughout the whole month of march 2013.

The MPI has the support of several cultural and literary institutions of importance that are partners of the events in various countries and cities, among this year’s participation list are included:

(Each event here has being approved by our committee, if your country is not in the list and you wish to coordinate an event, please contact us to send you the WS guidelines. For participation in any of the events you need to contact us to reach the coordinator in your city or the closest. Each event has a different coordinator and we only inform and coordinate in general. Participations will depend on each coordinator's agenda and possibilities, travel expenses are responsibility of participants). 

1. Dominican Republic
2. Puerto Rico (Humacao)
3. Spain (Malaga, Gran Canaria, Murcia, Aguilas Murcia, Valencia, Barcelona, ​​ Alicante, Valladolid, Toledo, Madrid, Bajadoz, Cadiz province, Cájar Granada)
4. Mexico (Mexico City, Veracruz, Tijuana, Toluca)
5. Argentina (Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario, Santa Fe, La Plata-Berisso and Ensenada-2 events, Santiago del Estero, Río Negro–Cipolletti-Patagonia, Concepción del Uruguay – Entre Ríos)
6. Colombia (Barranquilla, Cali, Bucaramanga) 
7. Cuba (Las Tunas) 
8. Chile (Santiago, Talagante, Ovalle, Valparaiso) 
9. Peru (Lima)
10. Bolivia (Santa Cruz) 
11. Guatemala (Ciudad, Quetzaltenango) 
12. Venezuela (Caracas, Acarigua, Anzoátegui )
13. Panama 
14. Ecuador (Loja)
15. Honduras
16. USA (New Jersey, South Carolina, California-Modesto, California-Santa Rosa, San Francisco, New York, Miami, San Antonio-Texas)
17. Canada
18. Germany
19. Russia (St. Petersburg)
20. Luxembourg
21. France (Paris, Guadeloupe)
22. Morocco (Larache)
23. South Africa (Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg)
24. Kosovo 
25. Greece (Athenas)
26. Antigua and Barbuda
27. Tanzania
28. India (Kolkata)
29. Israel (Tel Aviv)
30. New Zealand
31. Lesotho
32. Zimbabwe (Harare)

To view the worldwide general agenda click HERE