Blog Post written by Orit Zuaretz, Israeli Participant

The Forward Global women convening   “Berlin 2014” was my second meeting with women leaders from our region. After 4 years as a Knesset member in Israel, where I met women leaders from diverse communities in Israel among them Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze. The Forward Global women meetings opened up a window of opportunity to interact actively with women from our region with whom we can’t meet.

During the seminar in Berlin I have been exposed to the new reality of life in general and the reality of women’s lives in particular in the M ENA countries after the Arab Spring the uprising and leadership changes. The fact that the participants came from different worlds of content, and from a different perspectives : academic, political arena and civil society organizations have enriched the discussion.. The Personal stories, the interaction and the relationship, created and formed a common base of understanding.

During the meeting we developed few ideas and thoughts about some issues and changes that we can promote in collaboration.  Maybe we will not be able to change the whole MENA region, but I’m sure that we can promote these small changes in each country. The cooperation and relationship was created is going to be the base and a part of a long chain attached to each one of the women leaders in our region.

I want to thank you, each one of my new friends, and hope that one day we will not have to travel so far to get together.