Woman Scream | 1st International Meeting | 2016 | Opening at Madrid

 

Celebrated the days 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12 and 16 of March 2016.

Since last March 2dn, 2016 until the day 16th, Madrid, Spain was for the first time the opening city of the recognized Grito de Mujer, Woman Scream International Poetry and Arts Festival 2016, and the 1st. International Gathering with friends and supporters of the MPI Movement Inc., hosts of the festival. Woman Scream is a cause born at the Dominican Republic, this year Woman Scream took place simultaneously in over 30 countries and carried a social committed through arts and poetry, to deliver messages of self-esteem and zero tolerance of violence against women. In this sixth issue, Woman Scream brought a tribute to Arab women and all women who suffer under the yoke of archaic customs such as stoning, ablation, honor crimes, among others. The theme was "Desert Flowers," In honor of the Iranian Soraya Manutcherhi, stoned to death and accused falsely for being a "inconvenient" wife.

 

In Madrid, gathered more than a hundred poets, artists and collaborators of the Grito de Mujer cause from different nations that came to join, participate or just support this beautiful work, among them: Mexico, Poland, Palestine, Morocco, Peru, UK, Syria, Usa, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Geneva, Venezuela, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania ... and many more.

On March 2, 2016, we began with a pre-inaugural recital at the Library of Retiro District, with the participation of the poetess Bouchrail Echchaoui (Morocco), Teresa Cuadrado Morgado (Spain), Jael Uribe (Dominican Republic ), Jelen Romero Cuevas, Laura Olalla Olwid, Leonor Merino, Marisol Huerta Niembro, Rosa Maria Berlanga and Maria Victoria Caro Bernal (Spain).

On day 4, was presented the anthology Flores del Desierto (Desert Flowers), the event counted with the participation of 43 of the 76 national and international participant poets: Abner Tomas Viera Quezada (Peru), Ana Deacracias (Spain), Benilda Jesus Claro Alvarez (Colombia) Bogumila Olaniecka (Poland), Brunhilde Román Ibáñez (Spain), Carmen Crespo (Spain), Carmen Hernandez Rey (Spain), Carolina Cohen Polanco (Colombia), Concha Gorostiza Dapena (Spain), Corona Zamarro (Colombia), Dina Pardo Luz (Peru), Elena Vargas (Peru-Britain), Esther Freire (Spain), Fernando Saltos (Ecuador), Jael Uribe (Dominican Republic), Javier Lerena (Spain), Josefa Martínez Marquez (Spain), Lidia Acevedo ( Mexico), Lilian Vizcaino (Cuba), Lola Martinez Auñón (Spain), Luis Miguel Sanchez (Spain), Marlene Denis (Cuba-Spain), Maria Chamorro (Spain), María del Angulo Mar (Spain), María José Pérez Lima ( Spain), María Macías (Spain), María Sánchez Román (Spain), Mercedes Dueñas (Spain), Nir (Spain), Rosa Rodríguez (Spain) Salomé Ortega (Spain), Salvadorita Mancebo (Dominican Republic), Sandra Murillo (Ecuador ), Teresita Calderon (Puerto Rico-Switzerland), Valia Ilieva (Bulgaria), Zulma Quiñones (Puerto Rico).

Later on, that same day in the hall next to the same Buenavista Cultural Center, we proceeded to the opening of the art exhibition, also under the name Desert Flowers Flores del Desierto, with national and international artists and coverage of major media radio and international television such as the BBC, EFE, TVE, among others. In addition we had the distinguished presence of the Ambassador of Venezuela in Madrid, Mario Isea Bohorquez and Cultural Attaché of the Dominican Embassy in Madrid, Victor Ramirez.

Among the participants artists were painters and photographers: Federico Losada, Bouchrail Echchaoui, Carme Ollé i Cooderch, National Painters: Gloria Alvarez, Emilia Diaz, Lourdes Diez, International. Painters: Nayat Sahraoui, Salvadorita Mancebo, Functional Diversity: Mamen Delgado, Silvia Cota, Luz Galvan and young talents: Alicia Bercan and Manos de Luz group. It also featured sculptures from the artists Ana Benegas Haddad. Music and dance were in charge of by Ariadna Sounds of the Universe, the Kamra Group Rikh Ganech & Moon & Moon Dreams and Inma Garrote Camarena. There was a brief poetic recital with the participation of Antonio Capilla (Spain), Dragos Cosmin Popa (Romania), Fatima Nascimento (Portugal), Oskar Rodrigañez Florez (Spain), Pilar S. Tarduchy (Spain), Milagros Salvador (Spain).

On March 5, 2016 there was one morning dedicated to the theater and a brief discussion on the importance of theater to fight women violence, with the presentation two plays, La Karcel Azul, directed by Ana Santos-Olmos and performed by: Flavia Perez de Castro, Diana Irazabal and Lidia Palazuelo. And the works of small format play Evolution: Flores del Desierto, a fusion of music and performing arts performed by: Ariadna SDU, María José Pérez Lima and Concha Gorostiza.

In the afternoon, in the same Buenavista auditorium, took place the worldwide opening of the 6th. Woman Scream Festival 2016: Desert Flowers, with the participation of leading figures in Madrid’s literary world from different nationalities and with a great poetry selection, among excellent artistic performances. The opening featured the words of Dominican poetess Jael Uribe, President of the Women Poets International Movement Inc, and founder of the Woman Scream cause who also, had the support of the Dominican Embassy in Madrid through its cultural delegate Victor Ramirez. The overall coordination was the poetess Asuncion Caballero, active member and contributor to the MPI. Among the participants poets were: Amelia Diaz Benlluire (Spain), Rafael Soler (Spain), Esperanza Parraga (Spain), Jael Uribe (Dominican Republic), Esther Peñas (Spain) who also supported the presentation and poets participants, Isabel Miguel (Spain), Javier Peñín (Spain), María Pizarro (Spain), Rosa Berlanga Benito (Spain), Rachida Mohammedi (Arab American), Manhunt Sour (Palestine), Dra. Pilar Baumeister (Pilar Andreo Vila) , blind from Germany) poet, and finally Nina Affane Lys (Algeria). Artistic representation was in charge of Benegas Haddad Ana (Cantautora-Spain), Laura Granados (performer and composer), Ariadna Sounds of the Universe (Music), Inma Garrote Camarena (Spanish Dance), Maria Faidi (Oriental Dance).

 Later on, at 9 pm, in the halls of RafaelHoteles Ventas 4, at the Acala Street, we had a dinner gala, with a recital of international poets and the intervention of about 40 poets, storytellers, and collaborators of the Grito de Mujer cause, among which were: Estrella Cuadrado Morgado, Inma Díez, Antonia Cerrato, Antonieta Villamil, Assumption Vidarte, Barbara Duran (Isabela Simone, Mexico), Berkis Contreras, Bouchrail Echchaoui (Morocco), Laura Olalla Olwid, Clara Blazquez Jimenez, Clemen Corbalan, Edith Fernández García, Encarnación Sánchez Arenas, Helena Staghouraki (Greece), Gema Bocardo, Idoia Carramiñana, Ivonne Sánchez Barea, Lucrecia Lopez Guirao, Pilar García Orgaz, Maria del Carmen Aranda, Marizela Rios (Mexico ), Brunilde Román Ibáñez, Nieves Garcia, Raquel Herrero Alverola, Rocio Biedman, Rosario Miloro Costas, Yolanda García Ares, among others. The performance Flor Dorada en el Asfalto "Golden Flower on the Asphalt" of the dominican poetess Jael Uribe, put the note of surprise and fun at the sound of maracas and Taíno’s dance, dragging the applause of the audience. At the end of the night the awards ceremony took place among tears and emotions among the Woman Scream partners and collaborators who attended. Many of them where surprised with the award Mujer Alada, "The Winged Woman" and, beautiful certificates of appreciation for their outstanding work. Among the awarded they were: Zulma Quiñones (Puerto Rico), Teresita Calderon (Switzerland), Antonia Cerrato, Idoia Carramiñana, Adirane Azcuenaga, Maria Pizarro, Encarnación Sánchez Arenas, Rosa Garde, Bouchrail Echchaoui (Morocco), Berkis Contreras (USA), Ivonne Sánchez Barea, Maria Sanchez, Helena Staghouraki (Greece), Pedro Vera and Asuncion Caballero. There were also recognized the efforts of the poets Carmen Rey Hernandez, Inma Diez, Sergio Perez, and Edith Fernandez and for their unconditional support to the cause.

In the afternoon of March 6, 2016, there was a formal closure for the MPI encounter with a recital of national and international poets from Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Spain, Poland, etc., among this: Lorena Paz (Argentina), Fatima Nascimento (Portugal), Oskar Rodrigañez Florez and Pilar S. Tarduchy (Spain), Jael Uribe (Dominican), Bogumila Olaniecka (Poland), among others. There was also a brief discussion about our personal experiences with violence and the importance of activities like to fight violence issues we face through more efficient and effective solutions.

On 9 March, 2016, the night was very emotional in the celebration of the Colloquium-Recital on women violence and ablation, where we had the wrenching personal testimony of Asha Ismail, on her own experience with this practice on the hands of her mother and grandmother when she was barely 5 years of age; the audience was moved to tears. The general coordinator of the meeting, Asuncion Caballero, proposed a solidarity concert for the NGO of Asha Ismail order to raise funds for her education program against female genital mutilation. In addition, we had the presentation of Ana Buñuel Heras, Director of Equality of the City of Madrid. The event was held in the Hall of the 2nd floor of the Junta Municipal del Distrito Retiro, where there was also a poetry recital with men and women poets with poems allusive to the cause.

Continuing acts on March 10, 2016, there was a second presentation of the Anthology Desert Flowers in the Hall of Poetry Center José Hierro, and a poetry recital was performed.

  
On Saturday, March 12, 2016, at the Cacharrería room in the Ateneo of Madrid, within the format of the Three Tertulias, we had the presentation of the Tertulia-Recital: How do desert flowers scream? a recital with poets of various nationalities among them Maria del Carmen Aranda, Luis Miguel Sanchez, Nieves Gallardo, Muhsin al-Ramli (Iraq) who read us in his mother language and was translated into Spanish by his beautiful little daughter. Mohamed El Idrissi (Morocco), Maisoun Shukai (Syria), Bogumila Olaniecka (Poland), Manhunt Sour (Palestine), there was also the intervention of a wonderful little girl from the public who improvised a poem. We also had the presentation "Poetic Justice or the importance of a scream" by the Dominican writer Jael Uribe. Moderation and overall presentation of the event was in charge of Asuncion Caballero and the hostess of the Tertulia, Ms. Victoria Caro Bernal.

The Tertulia was attended by a dedicated and participative public. Upon completion, a group of poets and participants shared a dinner at one of the restaurants in the famous Barrio de las Letras of Madrid.
 

The final event of the Grito de Mujer 2016 closure in Madrid, took place on March 16th, 2016 at the Egyptian Institute of Madrid, with a recital of poets of different nationalities including Carmen Crespo, Asuncion Caballero, Veronica Aranda, Felipe Espilez, Fernando Sabido, among others, the words of welcoming by the Director of the Egyptian Institute: Dr. Basem Saleh Daoud and the President of Intercultural Circle Hispanic Arabic, Abdo Tounsi. In this event could we enjoyed a magnificent participation of Hispanic-Arabic poets, highlighting the importance of equality between men and women. Upon completion, the Intercultural Circle Hispanic Arabic invited to a tasting of delicious Arabic sweets and tea.

Woman Scream Festival events, are celebrated during the month of March each year in over 30 countries worldwide, and is coordinated by the Women Poets International Movement (MPI) Inc. based at the Dominican Republic.

The MPI invites its friends and followers to follow the details of this grand opening in Madrid and to check each event details in different countries visiting the WS page at www.gritodemujer.com