Ten-year-old Sarah Sharaf, from Mawakeb School who recently stole the hearts of many leaders at the World Government Summit (WGS), inaugurated the day’s events with yet another motivational talk. She said: “I want to help women as much as I can. Maybe my presence here is a step in that direction.”
The all-women’s orchestra team featuring the Firdaus orchestra kick-started the afternoon. The group created for Expo 2020 Dubai was mentored by Oscar-winning A.R. Rahman. The artists performed pieces especially designed by A.R. Rahman for the day.
Preeti Laungani, Marketing, Comms and Content Manager, Firdaus Orchestra & Firdaus Studio by A.R. Rahman said: “Our mentor AR Rahman said this was the most exciting thing for him in this decade. He said Dubai was a safe place, and this Orchestra is a statement, an equaliser.”
The first piece presented was titled “I Love You” by Omar Faruk Tekbilek. The Firdaus Orchestra especially rearranged this for occasion.
The piece was performed by concertmaster Olena, Amal, Hanan, Pascal, Lama, Sahar, Rebecca and Lea.
The next piece titled “Voice Of The Moon” is a piece written by Anoushka Shankar, a multiple Grammy nominated Sitar player, who was handed the art by her father, award winning Pandit Ravi Shankar.
The piece was performed by Anvita on the Sitar.
For our final piece for the afternoon, we performed ‘The Four Seasons, Winter’ by Antonio Vivaldi. It is symbolic to the four seasons we enjoy on a healthy planet. This piece was performed by Olena, Martha, Furat, Abeer & Rumiyana,” said Laungani.
The International Women’s Day celebrations at Expo City Dubai was a platform to discuss opportunities for women’s’ participation in global climate dialogue, leading to COP28.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority spoke at the celebrations highlighting the role of women in the upcoming COP28.
Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Global Compact was also present making an impactful presentation on the climate change.
Platform for People and Planet
A numbers of speakers took to the stage to talk about gender equality and their responsibility to live sustainable. In this session changemakers from different parts of the world, working close to the ground shared their products, their actions of change.
This was followed by an informal fireside chat with Monica Woodman, Firdaus Orchestra Conductor with Sahar Khoueiry and Tamara Tomanovic, Firdaus Orchestra Musicians, about the role of the arts in advocating for climate and advancing gender balance.
