unlimited global alchemy

Graca Machel, Thobani, Nondumiso, Geina Mhlophe, Unity Dow and Rachel at the FTC Showcase and Female Empowerment Forum Cape Town

Magical Moments

It has been a week!

Postponing my Ubuntu Exhibition that was due to take place this weekend due to my Dad’s serious health issues was certainly not a hightlight (thank you very much for all your generous messages of support to my Dad) but watching the magical moments captured on video of Freedom to Create’s 2011 Prize Celebratory Events that took place during the last week of our Cape Town UGA Residency in November, certainly was.

On the 16th November the Bambanani Group and I were invited to the Fugard Theatre to share our experiences of our FTC Workshop at the FTC Showcase. Thobani Nondumiso and I took to the stage for our presentation while Zodwa, Bongiwe, Noloyiso and Thozama sat in the front row of the audience a few feet away. Nondumiso and Thobani described what happen in our collaborative workshop while I demonstrate to give the audience a feel of what took place.
Shivers raced up my spine as I listened with deep emotion as Thobani and Nondumiso spoke about and shared their joy of our creative collaboration and how creativity has given them the freedom to express the powerful narratives of their HIV/Aids status.

We are all survivors and our creativity has given each and every one of us a voice.

If that moment wasn’t powerful enough, the Showcase was followed by Freedom to Create’s Female Empowerment Forum, and once again sitting in the front row, we were blown away as we listened in awe as Graca Machel, Unity Dow, Chou Chou Namegabe, and Molly Melching spoke of their inspirational work.

http://www.freedomtocreate.com/prize-2011-cape-town-forum
http://www.freedomtocreate.com/2011-cape-town-forum-panel

Later at the FTC Reception that followed we all had the opportunity to speak with the Guest Speakers, Unity Dow presented me with her book “Saturday is For Funerals”,

http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674050778

Unity had watched our presentation, and when I arrived back at our accommodation I looked inside the book and saw that Unity had written a message for me

“For Rachel
Because our fragility need never stop us…..
Unity Dow

Unity your generous message inspires me to keep striving to do so much more, you are a remarkable role model for many women around the world; your vision is extraordinary, thank you!

Unity is a lawyer, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana, Unity Dow was the first female high court judge in Botswana’s history. She is the author of four novels and a non-fiction work on the Botswana AIDS crisis. As a lawyer, Dow earned acclaim for her stance on women’s rights and established an international reputation in the landmark Attorney General of Botswana vs. Dow case that effectively overturned a law banning women from passing their nationality over to their children. Her 1992 lawsuit was recognised as a landmark case in the fight for women’s rights when U.N. Women published its flagship report: ‘Progress of the World’s Women 2011-2012: In Pursuit of Justice.’
She worked as a partner in Botswana’s first all-female law firm before becoming the first female High Court Judge. Currently serving her second term as Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists, she has been chosen to help implement the new Kenyan constitution.

To see the FTC’s magical moment too please click on this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw9SmKYDl18

Posted by Rachel Gadsden, 10:12am 12/12/11