Bridging Cultures. Meeting Minds

Bridging cultures, meeting minds, is the theme of the Dubai International Film Festival 2006, which is being held from December 10 to 17 of this year. The festival has an amazing lineup of films from all over the world. Last yeay I wanted to watch some movies but as usual did'nt find the time. This year I intend to. With different categories of movies from all over the globe, there is something for everyone to watch. check out the categories and the movie listings at DIFF website.

Some of the Note worth Films. Click on the Picture to get to the movie details and some trailers.

Stateless UAE Nationals

There is an online petition that is asking for basic human rights for citizens of the UAE. It is asking the state to provide citizenship to Nationals who give their all to the country and still do not have an official identity. Please check it out and sign the petition.

Stateless UAE Nationals

Let It snow

I used to love hearing "let it snow, let it snow", and several other "holiday" songs this time of the year, everywhere I went. And I used to look forward to the snow. But today I am grateful to God for a second shower in as many days here in Dubai. The weather is turning out to be really lovely. When I was little I always used to look for the rainbow after the rain, I dont rememeber the last time I did that, I wonder why we stop doing the things we used to love?

16 Days of activism against gender violence

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign that was started by the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991. The 16 Days runs from November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women to December 10, International Human Rights Day to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a violation of human rights.

This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1, which is World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre in 1989, when 14 women students were massacred by a lone gun-man opposed to the affirmative action policies promoted by feminists at the University of Montreal.

Since it began, the 16 Days of Activism has been used as an organising strategy by women’s groups to call for the elimination of violence against women by:

1. Raising awareness about gender based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
2. Strengthening local work around violence against women
3. Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
4. Providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share effective strategies
5. Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women
6. Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women

Warrior of the Manual of Light

No writing for a while, in a reading mood these days, am finally reading the "Manual of the warrior of light" by Paolo Coelho which was collecting dust on the shelf because I did not think I would like to read it. Now that I'v started I think I will finish and you all will be reading snippits of it on this blog.

The Warrior of light carefully studies the position he intends to conquer.

However difficult the objective, there is always a way of overcoming obstacles. He seeks out alternative paths, he sharpens his sword, and he tries to fill his heart with the necessary determination to face the challenge.

But as he advances, the warrior realises that there are difficulties he had not reckoned with.

If he waits for the ideal moment, he will never set off; it requires a touch of madness for the next step.

The warrior uses that touch of madness. For - in both love and war - it is impossible to foresee everything.

Thoughts

I have learned so much from God
That I can no longer call myself
a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself with me
That I can no longer call myself
a man, a woman, an angel, or even a pure soul.
Love has befriended Hafiz so completely.
It has turned to ash and freed me
Of every concept and image my mind has ever known.

Hafez

Caught in the Rain on My Way to the Sandy Lake

Some words strike a strong personal cord in you, these by Su Shi did that to me, We always try and take the easy way out even if we don't want to, sometimes circumstances do that, obligations, expectations. Sometimes you wish things were different but by that time there is nothing you can do. I have realized that one should take chances, one should travel the road less travelled, find out whats at the end of that road, at least there won't be regrets whatever the outcomes and one can tell ones self that I tried.

Listen not to the rain beating against the trees.
Why not walk slowly while chanting at ease?
Better than a saddle I like sandals and cane.I'd fain
In a straw cloak, spend my life in mist and rain.

Drunken, I am sobered by the vernal wind shrill And rather chill.
In front, I see the slanting sun atop the hill;
Turning my head, I see the dreary beaten track.
Let me go back!Impervious to rain or shine, I'll have my own will.

Shameless

We muslims shout about creating awareness in the western world about our religion, we first need to create awareness among ourselves. Most of the Muslim Ummah I'm sorry to say falls under the category that needs awareness, most of us do not know what the true religious teachings are and take advantage of rules that were meant for other reasons. We twist and turn the religious teachings to suit our needs. Even the educated among us fall under the "educated jahil" category, talking and preaching bullshit. They make their own rules when they want and change them when they want to.

The way most women are treated in the muslim world is a shame, the level of education of the muslim world is a shame, the amount of violence preached in mosques and madrassas around the muslim world is a shame, and here we are trying to create awareness in the world, trying to tell the world that we are moderate people, who treaure peace and harmony, who take care of the old and the young and who give women the place they deserve and should have in society, I havent seen any of these things happening around the world and I do not see them happening anytime in the near future. We are in complete darkness and untill we accept this fact nothing can change the situation.

Yesterday I read a post about polygamy on Arab Lady's Blog and it stirred some emotion. Muslim men mostly in the arab world and several other places will take on up to four wives because The Book says you can, Well The Book says a lot of other things too especially about equality among wives, how to treat them and a lot of other things. I know this idiot arab, must be at least 55 he got married a second time 2 years ago to a younger woman because he wanted some, really that was the only reason, the ass holes second wife developed a cancer of the ovaries and what does he do, he says "I have needs, that I have to fullfill, I go places see women, what can I do" the bastard divored his second wife and literally "bought" a third from Syria this Eid, this guy is educated and all. Is that what our religion teaches us. How can anyone justify these types of actions. What I don't uderstand is why are most muslim women still tolerating this shit. I personally know a woman who is encouraging her husband to marry another woman, probably because he is having an affair with her. What would drive a woman to do that to herself ? Muslim guys will go out and do whatever they want, they will cheat behind their wives, look shamelessly at other women infront of their wives and they are still tolerated, while if a woman does the same all hell breaks lose why? Men will have a past that could fill pages and no one is bothered, and those same men will have the nerve to bring up some minute affair that the woman might have had. Its ok for men to have had affairs and sleep with hundreds of women before they get married, but those same men want a woman with a clean slate. Don't you think the real awareness needs to be created inhouse before preaching others?

Update: Today I saw a news story on CNN.com related to this post check out "Matchmaking for Egypt's teen brides" on CNN.com main page.

Words

This is an English translation of one of Nizar Kabbani's Arabic Poem's, very powerfull words, I don't know arabic, I'm sure it must have lost a lot in traslation but it's still beautifull.

He lets me listen, when he moves me,
Words are not like other words
He takes me, from under my arms
He plants me, in a distant cloud
And the black rain in my eyes
Falls in torrents, torrents
He carries me with him, he carries me
To an evening of perfumed balconies


And I am like a child in his hands
Like a feather carried by the wind
He carries for me seven moons in his hands
and a bundle of songs
He gives me sun, he gives me summer
and flocks of swallows
He tells me that I am his treasure
And that I am equal to thousands of stars
And that I am treasure, and that I am
more beautiful than he has seen of paintings
He tells me things that make me dizzy
that make me forget the dance and the steps


Words…which overturn my history
which make me a woman…in seconds
He builds castles of fantasies
which I live in…for seconds…
And I return…I return to my table
Nothing with me…
Nothing with me…except words


Nizar Tawfiq Kabbani (21 March 1923 – 30 April 1998) was a Syrian poet and publisher. His poetic style combines simplicity and elegance in exploring themes of love, eroticism, feminism, religion, and Arab nationalism. He is one of the most revered contemporary poets in the Arab world. He is known as one of the most feminist and progressive intellectuals of his time.

Canvas of Life

One day she asked him, as he was preparing to attack a new canvas, "how can you be sure that the spot you choose will come out right on the canvas?"

Vincent thought for a moment and replied, "If I want to be active I must not be afraid of failures. When I see a blank canvas staring at me with certain imbecility, I just dash something down."

"You certainly do dash. I never saw anything grow as fast as your canvases."

"Well I have to. I find paralysing the state of a blank canvas which says to me, 'You don't know anything!' "

"You mean its a sort of a challenge."

"Exactly. The blank canvas stares at me like an idiot, but I know it is afraid of the passionate painter who dares, who once and for all has broken the spell of that 'you cannot.' life its self turns towards a man an infinite vacant, discouraging, hopelessly blank side on which nothing is written, Margot, no more than on this blank canvas."

"Yes Doesn't it"

"But the man of faith and energy is not frightened by that blankness; he steps in, he acts, he builds up, he creates, and in the end the canvas is no longer blank, but covered with the rich pattern of life."

*Taken from "Lust for Life" (1934) by Irving Stone a famous book based on the life of Vincent Van Gogh. This is an author that I recently discovered who mostly wrote beautifull biographical novels.

Image: Van Gogh "Cafe Terrace at Night."

Realization

I have realized one thing, I think more and better on less sleep and an empty stomach. Yesterday for example I hadn't slept a minute all night and did'nt have a morsel of food the whole day and on the lesiurly road trip (yes thats what I call the 2 hour drive from office to home) at 6 PM my mind was on overdrive, I had so many ideas for blogging, things I wanted to do etc. Today I'm thinking maybe I should experement, take a scientific approach to the theory I have had food but not slept so I'll stay awake find out if it was the lack of sleep, tomorrow I won't eat but will try and get sleep and that way I can find out what the factor is, wether it is sleep, hunger or a combination of both. Started or rather stopped something else today too but feeling weak right about now so won't boast about it atleast not for another couple of days untill I'm sure I can handle myself.

Antiques

I have loved old things and antiques for quite sometime now and whenever I see one I get excited, I love the old and I would probably have loved living in ancient times. Here is something that I wanted to share with you people. I have heard stories of bath pool in ancient times heated by oil lamps and several other "technologies" this isn't exactly a technology but an innovative and usefull utensil for its time. It is basically a water flask said to be about 200 years old. Used by nobelmen when they used to go out for long periods, hunting etc. It is made of silver covered by cloth has a glass. The unique thing is the design, it incorporates a space in the middle of the flask so that "ice" could be put in it to keep the water cold for long periods of time. For those times it surely is a good thing and the look and the feel is amazing.


The Flask Made of silver, covered with cloth.


Complete with glass, cap and strap to hang the bottle with.


The hole to put the ice in to keep the water cold.

Another Night

Another Night. . . . .

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"

Back Home

I got back to the UAE last night from a 10 day trip to Pakistan. I had actually gone for 2 weddings and was sick most of the trip, was busy throughout and didnt get much time for myself as I usually do when I'm in Pakistan. Every trip I take to Pakistan brings up mixed feelings the likes of which one seldom sees, Its like loving something so much that it hurts and still you cant do anything about it. 1/3 of my life I have lived away from Pakistan and the 2/3 that I lived in Pakistan I saw so much that it is ingrained in me. What hurts is the state of affairs, the way people behave or have started to behave, the things taking place that I never noticed before, its like the country and the people are going down the drain. On the other hand you do see some improvement but its negligeble.

Every trip to Pakistan is bitter-sweet, I feel that I have changed so much that I don't think I would ever be able to live in the Pakistani society permenantly ever even if I wanted to. One hopes that things improve that people start making a difference, Pakistani people are rich beyond measure but they'd rather put that money on expensive cars and throwing Parties that would put a Frat house to shame. The weddings are so extravagant that you could feed a village for a month with the amount of money spent on them. And yet the same people spending so much money on worldly things will claim that they are not comfortable and want to make a difference but they need to get settled. When does one get settled in life? When is the right time to give back something, to help someone if you can, if we keep with the same mentality we will never break free of our life, of our work and will never do anything and the day will come when we will be dying and thinking if we did anything other then making money or trying to get settled.