Fostering skills to think critically about stories in the age of digital media
Women from the Arab and Muslim world have always pioneered in the field of education, from Fatima Al-Fihri, who established the world’s first university in Morocco the 9th century; to Sitt Al Sham, who sponsored the advancement of sciences and arts in Syria in the 12th century; to Princess Fatima Bint Ismail, who donated land and sponsored the building of Cairo University in 1914; to Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, the mother of the United Arab Emirates, who prioritized the education of women and girls with the formation of the United Arab Emirates and supported free public education for all till today. Beyond the formal pillar of education, women also contributed to shaping knowledge, instilling values, and developing fields of art, literature and poetry. While Arabic poetry played a transformative role in history, women’s contributions were often overlooked. Throughout history, women were not only the inspirations and central figures of both oral or written literature, but also have taken major parts in the composition, narration and transmission of poetry, legends and stories. Spanning 7,000 years, from the sorrowful rithā’ (eulogies) of Khansa to the gleeful scorn of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, from diwans (collected poems) to ghazal (love-song), Arab women boldly refused to be silenced. The vibrant words from Arab and Muslim women celebrate feminine wit and desire, pushed boundaries of social and cultural norms, and nurtured generations. Poetry has always prevailed in the Arab world, and women has spearheaded the movement since its dawn. From pre-islamic to Andalusian periods, beautiful and powerful females in the history of poetry have not only promoted the Islamic values and Arab culture to other parts of the world, but also inspired women's suffrage movements in the Arab region.
